I have rarely shared any of my cake recipes with my blog readers or the folks who follow my newspaper column so I felt this recipe was overdue. My thoughts took me back to an Arabian tent and the two mighty turbaned guards and their razor sharp scimitars that glistened in the summer sunshine. They were there guarding the wedding cake I had made for some wonderful, yet slightly eccentric people I knew. The whole wedding day had this wonderful larger than life theatrical theme which went done well with the guests. It was the only time in my life when my Orange Spice Cake was totally secure from sticky fingers!
Ingredients 6 egg yolks 6 egg whites 150g (6oz) unsalted butter 125g (5oz) caster sugar 150g (6oz) sifted self raising flour 100g (4oz) pitted chopped tinned prunes Zest of 5 large oranges Zest of 1 lemon ½ tsp of baking powder 2 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 200g (8oz) Dark 70% chocolate Juice of one large orange 7 Tbsp of Sour cream
Method 1. Preheat your oven 200 C gas mark 5 (375 F) 2. Grease two nine inch cake sandwich tins and then line it with parchment paper. 3. Now butter and dusk flour onto the parchment paper. 4. Cream 125g (5oz) butter with the caster sugar until very pale in colour, and then add the spices and zests. 5. Gradually whisk in the flour, a little at a time then add the prunes. 6. Grate 50g (2oz) of the chocolate and add together with the baking powder. 7. Next whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. 8. In a separate large bowl whisk the egg whites until they are very stiff then fold them lightly into the cake mix. 9. Divide the mix between the two cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes 10. Test the cake with a toothpick in the last couple of minutes; it should come out clean if the cake is done. 11. Turn the cake layers out onto a wire rack and allow to cool. 12. Melt the rest of the chocolate in a bowl over hot (not boiling water). 13. Remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the butter then the orange juice through a fine strainer. 14. Now add the sour cream gradually and allow to cool. 15. Segment 1-2 of the oranges and then reserve the 8 best segments to decorate. Drain the reserved segments on paper towel well to prevent the juice running into the sugar. To Serve Spread the cooled chocolate ganache mixture onto one layer of the cake then top with the other. Dusk the top with (confectionary sugar) icing sugar then decorate with the orange segments.
Kevin Anthony Ashton is an internationally experienced Chef of 30 years who now wants to shares his recipes, culinary advice, opinions on food issues and humorous tales with you.
He writes a weekly column for Birmingham's Sunday Mercury (estimated readership 500,000) and is also a member of The Guild Of Food Writers & the British Culinary Federation. Kevin's food blog www.wannabetvchef.blog.co.uk
continues to grow in popularity. His food articles have appeared in newspapers and magazines on both sides of the Atlantic including Chicago Sun Times, Hotline Magazine, YesChef, Chef's Magazine, and Reuters.
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