Orange Cake
This is a plain and simple orange cake and very good it is too, mostly because it's light and moist, very orangey and at its best served just as it is, no adornment necessary. A very obliging cake.
Ingredients
4 eggs
300g caster sugar
350g plain flour
2.5 tsps. baking powder
4-5 oranges, zest and juice
240ml sunflower or other mild flavourless oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 x 2lb loaf tins
Oven 180cWhisk the eggs and caster sugar together in a large bowl
Method
Whisk the eggs and caster sugar together in a large bowl until they bocome thick and very pale in colour, 2 to 3 minutes.
Measure the flour into a bowl and add the baking powder to it making sure there are no lumps.
Grate the zest of all the oranges into the flour. Mix together thoroughly.
Now whisk the oil into the egg and sugar mixture and then add the orange juice and vanilla essence
Turn the whisk to its lowest setting and gently add the flour mixture. You want the everything to be thoroughly combined but with the minimum whisking.
Pour the batter into the loaf tins and bake at 180c for 50-55 minutes, or until a scewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack
Helpful Hints
Adding the orange zest to the dry ingredients helps to stop it from sticking to the beaters of the whisk.
