Orange and White Chocolate Cake

Here’s a lovely light cake that’s ideal for Sunday tea or a party or coffee time with friends. It combines the richness of white chocolate with the freshness of orange.

Serves: 12                

Time: About an hour + cooling time                     

Level: Easy

Need: 2 x 20cm/8” round cake tins, preferably loose bottomed

Cake Ingredients

  • 350g/12oz self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • 200g/8oz white caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 200ml/8fl oz sunflower oil
  • An orange*, zest and juice
  • A little orange food colouring (optional)
  • 75g/3oz white chocolate chips

Filling & Topping

  • 100g/4oz melted white chocolate
  • 250g/9oz mascarpone/Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 100g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 200g – 250g icing sugar
  • Zest of an orange and/or orange extract
  • Sprinkles or other adornments

* My original plan was to use an orange, but when I made the cake on view here I discovered we only had one satsuma and a carton of orange juice in the fridge. I used the zest in the cake and some very small pieces of the actual satsuma, having carefully removed as much pith and white membrane as possible. I added in about 50ml/2fl oz of orange juice.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Grease & line the bases of the tins and dust lightly with flour.

2. Sift the flour into a large bowl with the bicarb-soda and salt. Add the sugar and mix.

3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and the oil until smooth. Stir this mixture into the dry mixture then add the orange zest & juice* and chocolate chips.  Mix well. (During stage 3 you can add in some orange food colouring if you fancy that. Don’t overdo it though. )

4. Divide the mixture equally between the two tins and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until risen and firm and a cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

NB I often bake and leave my cakes overnight in the fridge or garage then fill and decorate them the next day. It’s an option if that helps you to organise your time. I sometimes make the filling on day 1 and leave it in the fridge overnight to thicken up.

5. For the filling, melt the white chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.

6. Beat the mascarpone/Philadelphia and butter until creamy then mix in the orange zest*. Stir in the melted white chocolate and mix well. Sift in the icing sugar. Stir it gently at first then beat firmly until it’s nice and smooth.

(* As I’d already used all available zest I added in some vanilla extract instead)

7. Use about three-quarters of this mixture to combine the cakes and the rest to cover the top. Add decorative sprinkles and/or grated white chocolate. (If you have time, leave the cake in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting and serving.)

I hope you enjoy this lovely cake. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury. Below are a few that I’d love you to try:

Turkish Delight and Pistachio Cake

Quick Square Victoria Sponge Cake

Blueberry & White Chocolate Buttermilk Scones

Chocolate and Orange Cheesecake

To make a comment or ask a question please go to the contact page. Click here for the home page.

Happy Baking – Ian

P.S I’ve just realised that in America “Chocolate Chips” may mean something very different to UK. Here, it means small pieces of chocolate. My apologies for any confusion US bakers.