Super moist orange cake

Hello friends,

Last weekend I got a call from a friend back in my Uni, she wanted to order a cake for her son's birthday. I am humbled that she contacted me. The theme was Robocar Poli, it was such a cute theme! When I bought the toys in local bakery store, my daughter saw them and just right after I paid, she took it and unwrap the toys. Haha! So I had to take another set apparently.... lol.

Anyway, my friend chose Orange Cake with cream cheese frosting. I am so happy she chose this flavour. This orange cake is super moist, fluffy and to pair it with cream cheese, they are so delightful. (I ate the cake scrapes and leftovers only haha) Even my daughter loved the cake even on its own. The best part, the cake is SO EASY to make. There's only two parts - the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients. The dry ingredients are usually flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. While the wet ingredients are oil, orange juice, orange zest, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.

The cake theme was Robocar Poli, the cream outside is Vanilla Buttercream and decorated with fondant pieces and robocar poli cars. I am sharing the orange cake and orange cream cheese frosting today in the post.

Here's the recipe:

Super Moist Orange Cake
Original recipe from Modern Honey

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup canola oil
1 cup fresh orange juice
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoon orange zest

Method
Prepare three 8 inch x 3 inch height baking tin, spread thin marjerine/ butter on cake tin base and sides. Lay baking paper on the tin. Preheat oven to 170c.

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder. Add in salt and sugar in dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Mix together oil, orange juice, eggs, sour cream and orange zest in a bowl. By using electric mixer, whisk together all ingredients until incorporated.
3. Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Use silicone spatula to mix.
5. Afterwards, use electric mixer for 10-15 seconds to mix the batter so that there is no lump remaining. Do not overmix.
7. Divide batter into 3 separate 8inch cake tins
6. Bake orange for 20- 25 minutes. My oven (SHARP) bakes for 24 minutes only. The cake is done when inserted a toothpick at the center and comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool before taking out from the tin and layer it.

Orange Cream cheese frosting
Original recipe from Chef Sarah Ariffin

Ingredients
150g cream cheese, soft
1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
40g butter, soft
2 tsp orange zest

200ml non dairy whipped cream, chilled
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tbs orange juice

Method

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together. Add in sifted icing sugar and orange zest.
2. In another bowl, beat non dairy whipped cream until a streaks-like form or soft peaks.
3. Add in icing sugar and cornstarch, mix well.
4. Beat whipped cream on high speed until stiff peak is formed. Do not over beat.
5. Add in cheese mixture and orange juice. Mix until combine.
7. Chill cream cheese frosting before using

Cake assembly/ layering
1. Take cooled cake out from the tins.
2. Scrape off the cake tops, you will only want to use the soft part inside.
3. Spread a little frosting on cake board. This is to stick your cake onto it.
4. Take first cake and put on the board.
5. By using a piping bag, pipe cream cheese frosting on the cake in circle motion
6. Spread frosting evenly by using an offset spatula
7. Repeat for 2nd and 3rd cake layer.
8. By using piping bag, fill in balance frosting on the cake side.
9. Smooth cake side and top by using cake scraper and an offset spatula.
10. Chill cake in fridge for 30 minutes before enjoying.
11. You may also decorate the cake with more piped flowers, sprinkles, chocolates, fresh flower, fresh fruit, in your own creative way. And in my case, I decorated the cake with Robocar Poli theme.

Additional Info
In original orange cake recipe, the baking temperature was 180c and bake for 19-21 minutes. However, all ovens are different. Mine can't bake in 180c, otherwise the cake will only bake outside and will still be wet on the inside. Therefore, 170c is the ideal baking time for me, and I just bake it a little longer.

For OIL, I would recommend to use canola oil or olive oil in this recipe. Do not use normal cooking oil like Buruh, Vesawit, Saji etc ya. The cake will become super squishy and very very oily and you can't even eat it.

ORANGE ZEST is the grated orange skin.

For CREAM CHEESE, any brand should be okay. I am using Tatura cream cheese in this recipe.

For NON DAIRY WHIPPED CREAM, I am using Gold Label brand in this recipe. Non dairy whipped cream need to be melted but still chilled when using. The bowl and paddle attachment also need to be refrigerated before using. Cold utensils help to stabilize the whipping cream as whipping cream melts easily.

For ICING SUGAR, I would recommend you to sift first before using. This is to avoid any stubborn sugar lumps to mix in your frosting. And this is also important to ensure that the frosting is smooth and lump-free.

CORNSTARCH is one of the agent that helps to stabilise whipping cream in room temperature. You can use other agent like halal gelatin if you dont like to use cornstarch.

For SOUR CREAM, I would recommend you to use Paul's brand. However if there is no stock, you can option for other brands like the one I used. As long it is for baking, I think it's fine.

And if you don't want to make a themed cake... you could just simply deco it like this!

(pic courtesy from Modern Honey) 

That's all I guess, I hope you will try it. And if you do, do tag me on instagram @schonebacker or on my Facebook page. I'm looking forward to it!! I hope you will love this recipe as much as I do.  Any questions just drop on the comment below, or email me at schonebacker27@gmail.com . I'm happy to help.

Love,
Muna