Orange Pound Cake

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Do you remember how biting into that first fresh orange of the season feels like?

I mean, now a days we get oranges year round, thanks to both domestic and exotic varieties. But, there was a time, when we were kids, that we could get oranges only from November to mid-March. Yep! That was officially orange season.

Winter vacations used to be so much fun. We’d gorge on plump slices of orangey tartness and would even squirt some juice of the peel into each others’ eyes. Hey! Don’t judge. Remember, back then kids actually played outdoors.

Anyhow, I am reminded of my childhood whenever I make this Orange cake. It is moist and fresh and smells deliciously of citrusy goodness.

ORANGE POUND CAKE

INGREDIENTS

1. 3 large eggs
2. ¾  cup caster sugar (if you don’t have any, just use regular, granulated sugar)
3. 1 1/3   cup all-purpose flour (maida)
4. 1/2 tsp baking powder
5. 2/3  cup salted butter (melted)
6. 1 large orange (juice + zest).
7. Optional – you can flavour your cake with ½ tsp cinnamon powder or ½ tsp vanilla essence. I don’t use any because the aroma of orange + zest is enticing enough.

Note – for this recipe freshly squeezed and strained orange juice is best. But, if you do not have any then use unsweetened orange juice. If your juice is sweetened then reduce the quantity of sugar by 2-3 tsp. You can also substitute lemon zest for orange zest although the aroma and taste is much better with orange.

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180 deg C
2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and keep aside
3. In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar till the mixture is smooth and creamy. I prefer to use an electric hand held mixer for this. But, you can use a whisk.
4. Melt the butter, cool and then pour into this mixture.
5. Add the orange juice and zest
6. Lastly, still whisking add in the flour and baking powder mixture little by little.
7. Continue whisking for a further 1-2 minutes till the batter is smooth and creamy.
8. Grease a baking loaf tin (mix 10 x 4 inches or max 12 x 4 inches) and dust it with dry flour.
9. Tip the batter into the tin and bake for an hour and ten minutes (approx) at 180 deg C. Check the cake at the 55 minutes to one hour mark. Take it out when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
10. 

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If you are a vegetarian and would like an egg less version of the cake, then try this recipe by my friend Sheetal Ashpalia

INGREDIENTS

1. ¾ cup orange juice
   2. ½ cup oil (olive or refined)
   3. 1 cup whole wheat flour
   4. 1 cup all purpose flour (maida)
   5. ¾  cup powdered sugar
   6. 1 tbsp orange zest
   7. 1 tsp baking powder
   8. 1 tsp baking soda
   9. 1 tbsp corn flour
   10. 1 tbsp almond slivers
   11. 2-3 tbsp water (if required)METHOD

In a bowl, mix the oil and powdered sugar well. Add the orange juice and set aside.

In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except the almond slivers. Slowly add the same to the wet ingredients and mix well until you get a homogenous mixture.

Dust a cake tin with oil and flour and add the cake mix. Add the almond slivers on top and bake at 180 degrees C for approx. 30 mins or until done. Prick the centre with a toothpick to check if done.

Set aside to cool and enjoy the yummy treat.