Happy 2021 everyone! I trust you had a great New Year’s Eve and a great start to the year! Different than what we are probably used to but I was never a big fan of New Year’s Eve events anyway. It was always such a bother to get ready, fight the crowds to get there, drink way more than you should have, get hugged and kissed (okay this part I really really miss) by everyone – even people you didn’t know, noise makers, hats etc. My wife and I rung in the New Year with prosecco and apple cider – my version of a mimosa, delicious and it doesn’t hit you until you see the bottle (of alcohol) is over. This is my first blog of 2021 and I think it’s only fitting to have a recipe featuring oranges as they are a symbol of good luck and prosperity, love, passion and happiness! This is a Whole Orange Cake recipe and one I know you will enjoy making and eating.
This recipe was making the rounds on all the sites since the beginning of December 2020 but I saved it to try in 2021. One twist, I used blood oranges. They are in season – I’d like to tell you I planned this but it is a new year and let’s start it off right. I just saw them when I was looking for oranges for this cake and knew they would be perfect. Nothing else in the recipe changed – I know that’s hard to believe coming from me, but it is a new year so I followed the recipe – whaaaat! I think when I first saw this I was amazed with the fact that you used the whole orange (less the seeds, top and bottom) to flavor the cake. It looked so good and I could taste it as I was reading the recipe.
Something to watch for when making this cake. Make the pulp before starting on the butter and sugar. Once you pulp up the blood orange or oranges, taste it to ensure the pulp is sweet enough. If you have heard me speak about citrus sugar, you will know that blood orange sugar is my favorite. It has a distinct bitterness that gives it an adult taste (like dark or bitter sweet chocolate). I always look to cut back on the sugar a recipe calls for, but the skin and pith of the blood orange made it bitter – more than I expected. I ended up adding 2 tbsps. of sugar. I think if I used regular oranges, this would not be needed and I might even have been able to cut back on the sugar. This is also the first (but definitely not the last) time I pureed whole oranges – skin and all, for a recipe (and tasted the puree).
If you happen to have a few oranges in the house, make this cake. I know you will like it. This cake will hold it’s own whether for a celebration or just an everyday cake. It is ridiculously moist and stays that way, even with refrigeration. Just a last note on the countdown to 2021, it was strange to see Times Square in NY so vacant, isolated performers and performances everywhere and of course watching countries across the world celebrate it before us. It felt good to do our part by staying within our bubble of two. There is light at the end of the tunnel – not quite sure it is clearly visible, but definitely a glow as we look forward. Here is to a happy, healthy and safe 2021 – 2020 is hindsight, and we know what to do now. Wash your hands, wear a mask, socialize responsibly and continue safe practices until we see the light. As always – enjoy!
Ingredients
2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsps sugar
3 large eggs
4 blood oranges (about 1 pound/450g), ends trimmed, then cut and seeds removed
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Directions
Heat the oven to 325f
Using soft butter, rub a 10 cup Bundt pan really well, when you think you have enough butter, add just a bit more (or baking spray)
Cut up the oranges into quarters, then each quarter into half – it just puts less strain on your processor, add this to your processor and pulse until pulpy an tiny bits of rind are visible – 4 blood oranges gave me 1 ½ cups of pulp/puree. Taste the puree and adjust the sugar if needed
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale Beat in the eggs one by one, scraping the bowl after each addition – get right to the bottom
Spoon out 1 ½ cups of the pulpy orange mixture and add to the batter, then beat until blended
Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and beat just until smooth
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top
Bake until the cake is firm to the touch, and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging, about 45 – 55 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely
If you want to glaze the cake, whisk together some powdered sugar and orange juice – I added blood orange juice to get a cheerful pink hue – this was only done for the pictures, I didn’t use very much on the cake. When the cake is cool, drizzle the glaze on top – cut and serve
Substitutions and/or changes
Sprinkle coarse sugar into the buttered pan before adding the batter – it yields an amazing crunch. You could also use some blood orange sugar for a slightly bolder taste
If you are using regular oranges, leave the sugar at 1 1/4 cups per the original recipe
It’s been done with so many other recipes, but you could add a cup of blueberries or nuts to the cake batter
Decorate the cake with candied orange slices. Cut thin slices from an orange or blood orange and cook this in simple syrup for decorating the cake (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water – bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the orange slices – cook until tender, drain on a rack or parchment)
Add some Grand Marnier to the simple syrup with the orange slices – also consider candying some lemon and lime slices as well
If you want to glaze the cake, whisk together some powdered sugar and orange juice – I added blood orange juice to get a cheerful pink hue – this was only done for the pictures, I didn’t use very much on the cake. When the cake is cool, drizzle the glaze on top – cut and serve
If you have excess pulp, consider stirring it into softened vanilla ice cream and freezing it for a treat with the cake – orangesicles (oh the memories)
