In case you missed the past Kitchen Diaries posts: celebration salsa, lemon tarts.
My adorable Brazilian neighbour sent me a cheeky text asking if I was going to be making anything this week. I knew what she was asking for - my special orange loaf.
I’ve made this a handful of times and it’s always eaten within two or three days. The thing about cake loaves is that there are so many recipes out there - some using Greek yoghurt, buttermilk, or whole milk. Some use cake flour, AP or a mixture of both. But the recipe below from Meymi at Pastry and Beyond is what I’ve found to be the most consistent in terms of moistness and overall bake. It’s got a perfect crumb, soft on the inside and there is the full flavour of orange pulling through, which, to me, is the most important part.
Orange Cake Loaf
Ingredients
210 grams all-purpose flour.
2 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
18 grams orange zest
105 grams granulated sugar
2 large eggs
115 grams melted butter
180 grams fresh orange juice, sieved
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches of overhang on each side.
Place the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir with a whisk. Set aside.
Put the sugar and orange zest into a medium bowl and stir them either rubbing with your fingers or using a fork.
Add the eggs and mix with a whisk until just combined. Mix in the melted butter and orange juice.
Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a whisk until just combined.
Bake for almost 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted to centre comes out clean.
After you remove the pan from the oven, let the cake stay in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove from the pan and let it cool for 25 minutes on a wire rack.
This looks amazing. Also reminds me of one of my favourite desserts, the Greek portokalopita. Have you ever tried it/tried making it?