Gina Chong

Food + Travel

Blood Orange Cake

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Another mini cake! This time I did a semi-naked cake garnished with candied oranges that I brought back from Japan. It was one of those situations where I’d eaten a million of their samples and felt bad not buying anything lol! But I was so glad I did because they were perfect for topping this cake.

The produce is from my most recent shipment from Melissa’s. I ordered their Asian pears and these blood oranges. Although there were several pears and only two people, those were literally gone within 2 days. They arrived perfectly ripe and crisp and we couldn’t resist them. But I knew I had to save the blood oranges for this recipe, which thankfully turned out deliiiiish. Normally leftovers from my baking experiments get sent to the freezer, but this cake didn’t make it that far…#getinmybelly

Thanks, Melissa’s, for the perfect produce as always <3

*Notes on the recipe: Altogether you’ll need at least 4-5 medium-sized blood oranges and 7 eggs for this recipe.
*The cream is a recipe that I’ve made several times but for some reason for this recipe it took triple the time to thicken at all. If that happens to you too, after 10-12 minutes of not thickening, try combining about 1tsp water + 1tsp corn starch and adding it to the mix (while still whisking over your double boiler).

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Blood Orange Cake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Cake:

  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp blood orange juice
  • 2 tsp blood orange zest
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Blood Orange Cream:

  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp blood orange juice (2-3 oranges)
  • 1 tsp blood orange zest
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, cut into tablespoons

Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 tsp Grand Marnier or vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp half and half
Directions:
For the Cake:
Pour egg whites into a large bowl and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. While waiting, prep two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper: trace the pans to make circles for the bottom, then cut slightly smaller to fit. Cut two 2×19 inch strips for the sides. Spray the pans lightly with oil to help the paper stick
Set oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 325F. 
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, juice, oil, orange zest, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat well.
Add the cream of tartar to your egg whites and beat them until they reach stiff, glossy peaks. Fold 1/4 of the whites into your batter to lighten. Then fold in the rest. Separate the batter between your two cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake springs back when touched with your fingertip. Cake can be removed from pan immediately and cooled on a rack.
For the orange cream:
Fill a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. In a heat-proof bowl, whisk together the juice, zest, whole eggs, egg yolk, sugar and salt. Place on top of your simmering sauce pan and whisk continuously until the mixture is thick, at least 10 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit. Once just warm, pour into a food processor and run on low. Add your butter, one tablespoon at a time, waiting until fully combined before adding the next. Remove to a clean bowl, cover in saran wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until cold (will thicken more in the fridge). 
For the Frosting:
Cream the butter for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy. While still beating, gradually add sugar until combined. Then beat in the Grand Marnier or vanilla. Lastly, add the half and half and beat for another 1-2 minutes. 
To Assemble:
Use a sharp knife to cut the tops off of your cakes. Make sure they are level and roughly the same height. Then slice each cake in half, so that you have 4 layers. Spread a thin, even layer of your orange cream onto your base layer. Repeat for 2 more layers, then place the last layer on top. Take your frosting, and use an off-set spatula or any straight edge to frost your cake. And done!

*Cake recipe adapted from this lemon chiffon recipe, cream adapted from Tartine, frosting recipe from here. 

Comments

  18. This cake looks delicious and beautiful. You are so talented, both in your cooking and baking skills and your gorgeous photography. My mouth is watering over here!

    Reply

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