Finding comfort in orange butter cake


Classic favourite popular with families globally

MOIST and soft, old-fashioned butter cake can do no wrong, judging from the number of people who love its taste.

Simple and easy to make, the quintessential American butter cake recipe has travelled far and wide with people around the world guarding family recipes they hold dear.

Origins of butter cake can be found in the English pound cake – a rich treat calling for equal measurements of butter, sugar, eggs and flour.

Then came the ubiquitous butter cake.

Online articles tell the story of an American baker of German origin, in the 1930s, who mistakenly reversed the proportions of butter and flour, which resulted in a soft, fluffy butter cake.

This version has proven to be popular with bakers worldwide.

Fluffy, aromatic orange butter cake. — Photos: LOW BOON TAT/The StarFluffy, aromatic orange butter cake. — Photos: LOW BOON TAT/The Star

Some butter cake recipes are reminiscent of the pound cake, relying on butter, sugar, eggs, flour and a leavening agent, then there are those calling for the addition of buttermilk or milk.

All a budding baker has to do is follow the steps required, pop the baking tin into the oven and wait for the cake to bake.

Having said that, failed attempts at baking an edible cake have resulted in some shying away from ever trying again.

There are of course reasonable explanations for the unsuccessful attempts.

Unfamiliarity with oven settings and temperature required for baking as well as too much liquid are among reasons for the failures.

The ingredients for the cake.The ingredients for the cake.

Depending on oven type – convection, microwave, gas, combi or toaster – the baking temperature can vary from either 170ºC, 160ºC to 150ºC, so it is best to get acquainted with your oven.

Butter cakes have been a part of my childhood years with my mum Rose Melton going to great lengths to prettify her butter cakes for her children’s birthday parties.

Once she had perfected her cakes, they became the interest of neighbours and friends, who would ask for her help to bake them a cake or two.

With a basic butter cake recipe and a little know-how, one can add chocolate, dried fruits and even oranges for it to take on a totally new flavour.

The orange butter cake recipe I share here is something mum and I worked on, making it a personal favourite.

This recipe is apt for the Lunar New Year. Happy baking and Happy Chinese New Year!

Orange butter cake

Ingredients

225g salted butter

225g self-raising flour

170g castor sugar

4 large eggs (about 75g each)

2 tsp baking powder

1 large orange (juice and zest)

1 tsp sugar (add to orange juice)

30g orange peel (chopped)

Garnish

2 tbsp icing sugar

2 tbsp orange peel (chopped)

Directions

Using a knife, cut butter into portions and then into cubes.

The butter should be at room temperature.

Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting self-raising flour with baking powder. Set aside.

Using a grater, zest an orange by carefully avoiding the white pith. Add zest to the flour.

Chop orange peel into small pieces and mix into the flour.

Add orange zest and orange peel into the bowl of self-raising flour.Add orange zest and orange peel into the bowl of self-raising flour.

Using a fork or whisk, mix the orange zest and peel so these are evenly distributed and coated with flour. Set aside.

Now for the wet ingredients. Squeeze the orange for its juice (about 80ml).

Add one teaspoon castor sugar to the juice and stir.

Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk together.

Transfer butter and sugar to a mixing bowl.

Use fresh orange juice for this butter cake recipe.Use fresh orange juice for this butter cake recipe.

Cream both ingredients using a hand or stand mixer for about two to three minutes, on medium speed, until light and fluffy.

Using a spatula, scrape down the creamed mixture, and continue creaming.

Slowly add egg mixture, bit by bit, to the butter and sugar.

Once the eggs have been added to the batter, reduce the mixer’s speed to low.

Slowly add the flour, a tablespoon at a time.

Once the flour is fully incorporated, drizzle orange juice to the mixing bowl and beat until combined.

Next, pour cake batter into a parchment lined eight-inch baking tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together.Cream the butter and sugar together.

Bake at 170ºC for about 40 or 45 minutes (depending on your oven).

Test with a skewer for doneness. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool down for an hour.

Once cooled down, sift icing sugar on top and decorate with chopped orange peel.

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