I am both stubborn and stupid. Only I would refuse to give up on an orange cake, a cake that, when placed in a bakery, would receive the same treatment as a knock-kneed asthmatic during team selection in P.E. I don’t need to ask you when the last time you looked at the clock at 3:30pm and sighed, wishing for a large slice of orange cake. I know the answer: never. No one ever pushed back from an Excel pivot table and said, “Damn, what I would do for a slice of orange cake!”
But I persevered. I had three trees worth of oranges to use up, and I wasn’t about to see them rot (like I did last year). I researched� conversions and in my first attempt did some complicated density-ingredient-analysis. We all know how that turned out. This past week I decided to simplify everything and use metric. Out came the scales and bowls. Two hours later, I had an orange cake sitting on the counter.
That makes me stubborn. What makes me stupid is that I don’t like cake. So after all this baking and sampling and researching and scrapping and baking I can with confidence declare that my orange cake tastes…like cake. And orange. Yay?
Yay. Not because I suddenly grew to love cake, but because the boys loved it and I loved the sight of a homemade cake next to their school pictures and a vase of (what else?!) Rosemary. Years ago, when we were doing our kitchen remodel, I told The Mister I wanted our kitchen–our entire home, really–to look and feel like warm cookies and milk. Two happy boys and a slice of orange cake isn’t a bad compromise to make.
Do�a Petrona Orange Cake
adapted from El Libro de Do�a Petrona, edici�n 81
I’m amazed at the color of this cake. I don’t know if it’s because I used fresh orange juice and zest, but it really does have a lovely citrus glow to it. The original recipe called for a simple glaze icing, which is nice, but my boys love chocolate. I couldn’t resist such a classic winter combination.
The metric measurements are as presented in the book, with the exception of salt and vanilla, both of which are my additions. The U.S. measurements are from various online calculators. I’m confident with all of them except the flour. If you batter looks loose, try adding more flour by the tablespoon. The original recipe called for the eggs separated and the whites beaten to soft peaks. I’ve come to find out this is a technique James Beard used to lighten pound cakes. I’m lazy, and didn’t want to clean any more bowls. I mixed in the eggs one at a time after creaming the sugar. I may try it again separating the eggs. Then again, I may never bake an orange cake ever again.
For the cake
200 gr. | 14 tablespoons butter, softened
200 gr. | 1 cup sugar
420 gr. | 3 cups sifted cake flour
4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
the zest of one orange
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon saltFor the hard chocolate glaze
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (depending on how sweet you like things)Cake:
- Heat oven to 350�
- Butter and flour (or Pam up) one bundt cake.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- Add vanilla to orange juice in small measuring cup.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl.
- Add one egg at a time, mixing completely before the addition of each egg
- Add flour mixture and orange juice mixture, alternating in thirds, ending with the flour mixture.
- Fold orange zest into batter.
- Plop batter into bundt pan and smooth the top, if necessary. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Start checking at 45 minutes. I let mine go without checking to 55 minutes, and you can see it’s over-baked on the bottom.
Glaze:
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and milk. Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Immediately pour over partially cooled cake.
Well, now I want to go make this. Maybe I will–next week. We are still recovering from too much birthday cake. I love a citrus cake (especially with a little chocolate). I’ve been meaning to experiment with the method from this almond cake, but apply it to some different flavor combinations.
Are you f*ing kidding me that this is not exciting to you? This is HEAVEN IN CAKE FORM to me – orange and chocolate is my 100% favorite combination. And dare I say, with your hard work at the conversions (thank you SO SO MUCH for that, by the way), this doesn’t look all that hard to make – a boon to those non-cooky cooks among us. Thanks so much for sharing – recipe has been bookmarked!
I think I remember you saying that before! I hope it turns out. Conversions. Shudder.
If I wasn’t supposed to be asleep last night then I was going to turn on the computer and ask via twitter if you had tried any more recipes. I was too lazy to get up. And I was supposed to be asleep.
My husband likes lemon cake. Though the picture of orange and chocolate sounds great right now.
I do love cake (and oranges), and I have to admit that this has me drooling! Your boys are lucky.
Yum, that cake reminds me of those delicious chocolate oranges. Sounds like a great combo for a cake. I have a new linky on my blog every Saturday called “Sweets for a Saturday” and I’d like to invite you to stop by this weekend and link this up.
I would love to!
My grandmother Ofelia used to make that cake for me, glaze and everything. Reding this post took me back about 25 years.
That makes me so happy!
My son’s third birthday is next month. I asked him what kind of cake he wanted and, you guessed it, he asked for orange cake. I had no idea what to do about it, so this is a godsend. And it sounds delicious to boot. But I’m one of those weird people who likes cake and fruit together.
WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS SUGARY AND, THEREFORE, HOLY DO YOU MEAN “I DON’T LIKE CAKE”?!?!
Say it ain’t so, Jules!
I swear, I don’t like cake! It’s okay. I don’t hate it, but I never crave it. Ever. The Guinness Chocolate cake I made was really good, but I was fine with one piece. Cookies are good. Ice cream is fantastic! Chips and guacamole? Heaven.
Oh, honey, I am so with you on the chips and guac. I’m relieved to hear you do have a sweet tooth, but that it’s just particular (I myself do not like fudge, cake frosting, creme brulee, and flan). I think “people” who claim to not like sweets are actually aliens who didn’t study hard enough before being dropped onto earth in quasi-human form. So I’m very glad to know you’re not an alien.
Oh how wonderful! I’m glad you were stubborn and perfected the recipe. I just wish I had fresh oranges.
Yum! Chocolate and orange sounds perfect! I love the way to tell a tale. It’s never just “I made a cake, it turned out okay, I guess.” You always create pictures and make me laugh with every post.
Thank you! That’s the best kind of compliment for me.
As the knock-kneed asthmatic in PE class, I’m so happy you didn’t give up on this. This cake sounds too good to give up on.
Last week at the grocery store it was cheaper for me to by a 3 lb bag of oranges than it was for me to buy just three oranges. Now I have a surplus. So happy to have this recipe so my pretty oranges can have a purpose!
I’m sure you have, but if you haven’t, you must make Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Orange cake. Its amazing…!
Beautiful photos. I’d eat my fair share.
well, now I really want to learn and know more about Dona Petrona; first our short conversation on twitter, and now this cake.
I might bake this cake.
I might.
Bad thing is I LOVE cakes. all kinds…
Armenian Orange cake from the Best of Bridge cookbooks ( Canadian Cult Classic) our version anyways . If you cannot obtain let me know I will write it out ans mail to you! , It is superlative!