Orange Cake With Candied Oranges

ORANGE CAKE WITH CANDIED ORANGES

As many of you have undoubtedly surmised, I enjoy baking with fruit and veggies, whether in this Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake, these exquisite Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Scones, or my favorite Peach Pie. This is what I do to hold on to a few last slivers of nutrition and healthiness as I whip up gallons of butter and sugar.

Fruit desserts are something I enjoy, despite my latent denial and bargaining (*if I trim it down to ONE cup of sugar, then I can add these chocolate chips!*). When it comes to baking, citrus fruits are some of the best because they are ready to be blended into mixtures and hurled into a hot oven.

For some reason, oranges usually conjure up images of summertime. This could be because they grew up in places like California or Florida, where the weather is constantly nice and it’s pleasant to be near the beach. This could be the case.

It’s good that oranges are in season throughout the colder months because biting into an orange may take you to a sunny place in the heart of a dreary winter.

A slice of this citrus cake may help ease the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It hasn’t been clinically verified, but it wouldn’t harm to add a piece of cake.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• 2 cups offlour
• 4 tsp. of baking powder
• ½ tsp. of salt
• ¼ tsp. of nutmeg
• 4 pcs. ofeggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 cup of yogurt
• Juice from 1 lemon and 1 orange (reserve 2 tbsp of each for the syrup)
• Lemon and orange zest
• 1 tsp. of vanilla
• 1 tbsp. of orange liqueur (optional)

FOR THE SYRUP:

• 2 tbsp. of lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. of orange juice (you can also replace 1 tablespoon of juice with a tablespoon of orange liqueur)
• 2 tbsp. of sugar

FOR THE CANDIED ORANGE SLICES:

• 1/2 orange(sliced)
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. A loaf pan should be greased and floured. Preheating the oven to 350°F is recommended. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until they’re fully incorporated. Beat the oil in gradually. Incorporate the yogurt, orange juice, and liqueur, as well as the zest and juice of the citrus fruits (if using). Mix everything together in a big bowl. Make sure to scrape the basin’s edges to avoid over-mixing.
3. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes clean. Keep the toothpick in your pocket!
4. To prepare the syrup, combine the orange juice, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat once the cake has been removed from the oven. Keep swirling until the sugar is completely dissolved. ” Poke a hole in the top with a toothpick, then carefully pour the syrup over the cake when it has been taken out of the oven.
5. Wash and dry the orange well before cutting it into slices to produce candied orange slices. Slice the orange into thin, even slices by cutting it in half lengthwise and then slicing it with a razor-sharp knife. Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil, often stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Simmer the orange slices for 20 minutes, stirring them regularly, on medium heat with the heat reduced to low.
6. The cake can be decorated with candied orange slices. Use a serrated knife to slice and serve when it’s completely cooled down!