Florences Orange Cake Recipes

SCHIACCIATA ALLA FIORENTINA OR ITALIAN EASTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
• Mix flour, sugar, milk, olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, eggs, baking powder, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a large bowl until batter is well combined.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool before serving.

AUNT VERNA'S ORANGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together honey and eggs until thoroughly integrated. Stir in orange zest. Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add slowly to egg mixture. Lightly grease a loaf pan with butter. Add the mixture to the pan and bake. After 30 minutes check for doneness with a wooden skewer. (If it comes out clean, you are done. If not, give it another 5 minutes and check it again).

ORANGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 12-cup (10-inch) Bundt pan or two standard loaf pans (either 9 x 13 inch pans or 8½ x 4½ inch pans for taller cakes) and set aside.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a mixer bowl fitted with whisk attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed and with the mixer running, add oil slowly until combined. Add orange juice, zest, and vanilla extract and keep whisking slowly until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk just until combined. Don't overmix.
• Pour batter into prepared pan/pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes for the bundt pan or 40-50 minutes for the loaves or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top is browning quickly while baking, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow cake/cakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best moist texture, the cake is best served at room temperature. This cake freezes well so if you make two loaves, cover well, and freeze one of them in the freezer for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge

ORANGE FLUFF CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Have ready an ungreased 10-inch tube pan with a removable bottom. Don't use a nonstick surface pan.
• Sift the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Form a well in the center and add the melted butter, 1/3 cup orange juice, 1 teaspoon orange zest, egg yolks and vanilla. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes with an electric mixer.
• In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
• Pour batter into the ungreased tube pan. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Immediately invert and let the cake hang upside down until completely cool.
• Turn right side up and run a sharp knife around the edge to separate the cake from the pan. Remove sides. Run a knife around the center tube and under the cake; remove the pan bottom. Turn the cake right side up on a serving plate.
• To make the glaze: In a small bowl combine the confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, and 2 teaspoons orange zest. Spread over the top of the cake, letting some drip down the sides. Let stand at room temperature until glaze has set, about one hour.

FLORENTINE SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• Put the sifted flour, baking powder, oil, milk, grated orange rind, saffron, sugar, eggs, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl and beat together thoroughly until all the lumps are gone and the batter is smooth and thick.
• Grease a shallow rectangular baking pan and pour in the mixture.
• Bake for half an hour.
• Sprinkle plenty of icing sugar on top.
• If you prefer it sweeter, you can slice the cake in two (horizontally!) and fill it with whatever you like (whipped cream, chocolate icing, etc).

FLORENCE'S ORANGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the sides of 2 (8-inch) sandwich or cake pans or a (11-inch) springform pan with melted butter, and dust with flour. Line the base of each pan with greaseproof or parchment paper.
• Cream the 2 sticks butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Gradually add the sugar, and orange zest, and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between each addition. Sift the 8 ounces flour and baking powder into the mixture, and stir. Gently, stir in 1 tablespoon of the orange juice.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 prepared pans, making a slight hollow in the center of each cake so that it will rise evenly without forming a peak. Bake in the oven until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cakes, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let the cakes sit for 5 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack, and cool completely.
• To make the orange filling: Cream the butter until very soft, and then add the sugar and orange zest. Gradually beat in 1 tablespoon of the orange juice to create a smooth, soft mixture.
• To make the glace icing: Add enough orange juice to the sugar for a spreadable icing. If it is too soft, it will run off the cake, but if it is too stiff, it will be difficult to spread.
• When the cakes are cool, carefully slice each cake in half horizontally. If baking a single cake, slice the cake horizontally into two or three even layers. Spread the orange filling between the cake layers, and sandwich the pieces together. Using a palette knife, spread the glace icing over the top and sides, and decorate with the crystallized flowers, if using.