Sicilian Orange Cake

Sicilian Orange Cake.  Doesn't that sound good?   I found a picture of this cake along with the recipe on another blog - The Little Teochew.  Her blog is full of wonderful recipes and photos.

Rather than one big cake I made 6 small bundt cakes.   They came out of the oven just before I had to leave for work.  I had just enough time to drizzle on the glaze before walking out the door.  Moe had one of the cakes while it was still warm but I had to wait until I got home for a taste.   Very similar to a pound cake. Lovely texture and fresh orange flavour.  The only change I made to the recipe was to add vanilla.  It is almost impossible for me to bake without adding vanilla.  And vanilla and orange do compliment each other.


Sicilian Orange Cake
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Source: http://thelittleteochew.blogspot.com
(Adapted from Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escape)
Makes 1 x 22-cm cake, to serve about 8

250 g lightly salted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
250 g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest

250 g self raising flour
85 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Optional - 2 teaspoons vanilla

For the icing:
125 g icing sugar
5 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease and line a 22-cm clip-sided round cake with non-stick baking paper.

2. Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until very pale. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating very well between each one, if necessary adding a spoonful of flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling. Beat in the orange zest. Add the flour all at once and mix in well, then slowly mix in the orange juice.  Add vanilla if using.

3.Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer, inserted into the centre of the cake, comes out clean. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of lightly buttered foil.

4. Leave the cake, in its tin, to cool on a wire rack, then carefully remove the sides and base of the tin and peel off the paper. Put it onto a serving plate.

5. For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the orange juice until you have a spreadable consistency. Spread it over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides, and leave to set. Serve cut into slices, and store any leftovers in an airtight container.