Category: Orange

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

If you search loaf cakes on the internet, you’ll find an abundance of “copycat” recipes. For some reason, everyone is trying to copy a loaf cake from a popular coffee shop. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not a fan of the rubbery neon slice. I’d rather have a slice of soft, fluffy cake with a burst of fresh citrus flavor and buttery frosting. If that sounds good to you too, you’ll love this recipe. I used the reverse creaming method to make this cake, which produces a soft, velvety crumb. Brushing the cake with orange simple syrup keeps it moist and flavorful. This recipe is for an orange-vanilla bean cake but it can also be made into a lemon version. See the notes below for instructions to make the lemon cake. To keep the soft, fluffy texture of this cake, I don’t recommend add-ins.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, fluffy vanilla bean and orange scented loaf cake topped with silky vanilla cream cheese frosting by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Orange Simple Syrup

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

  • 1 â…“ cups (170g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 2 medium oranges
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (57g) sour cream, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) whole milk, room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ teaspoon pure orange extract

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) powered sugar, sifted
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1-3 tablespoons (15-45ml) whole milk or half & half, room temperature

Instructions
 

Orange Simple Syrup

  • Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Orange Vanilla Bean Loaf Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, mix the sugar and orange zest, with an electric mixer or by hand, until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and beat until well combined. On low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture looks sandy.
  • In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla bean paste and orange extract together until smooth and creamy. On low speed, gradually beat this mixture into the sugar mixture until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not over mix.
  • Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Brush the warm cake all over with orange simple syrup. Let the cake cool completely, then frost with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a medium-sized bowl, stir the cream cheese with a spatula until smooth. Add the butter and beat, with an electric mixer on low speed, until smooth.
  • Gradually mix in the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla bean paste, salt and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk and beat until smooth. Add additional milk, if needed, until the desired consistency is reached. Stir with a spatula to smooth out any bubbles.

Notes

To find an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, click here
 
To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange zest with the zest of 3 medium lemons or 2 large lemons. Replace the vanilla bean paste with 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and replace the orange extract with 1 teaspoon of pure lemon extract. For the simple syrup, replace the orange juice with lemon juice.
Keyword cake, orange

Sunshine Picnic Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Sunshine Picnic Cake by Mari Vasseur

Out here in Southern California we have picnic weather in the middle of winter. Even if it’s snowing where you live, you might be craving something deliciously bright, like this Sunshine Picnic Cake made with fresh orange juice and orange zest. The soft, moist cake is topped with a subtly tart citrus icing. It’s perfect for a spring or summer picnic, a tea party, weekend brunch or even an anytime snack. This recipe is so versatile that you can easily switch it up to make it a lemon cake if you wish.*

Sunshine Picnic Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, plush, moist orange scented cake with citrus icing
Print Recipe
Course Brunch, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • ½ cup (111ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¼ cup (59ml) orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract**
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (170g) sour cream room temperature

Icing

  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) orange juice
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, orange zest, oil and eggs with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and creamy. Add the orange juice and the extracts and beat until blended. With the mixer on low speed or by hand, beat in the flour mixture in two additions followed by half of the sour cream after each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Bake until the top looks golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Do not over bake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack. Alternately, if you want to transport the cake in the pan, you can let it cool in the pan.

Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15ml) of orange juice and the salt until well blended. Add additional orange juice as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Whisk until smooth. Spread the icing on the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.

Notes

*To make a lemon version of this cake, replace the orange juice with lemon juice. Replace the orange zest with the lemon zest of two medium lemons. Replace the orange extract with pure lemon extract. Reduce the vanilla extract to 1/2 teaspoon.
**To find pure orange extract, click here.
Keyword cake, orange

Mini Orange Olive Oil Cakes

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
mini orange olive oil cakes

Ever since a certain celebrity cut a hole from the middle of her favorite olive oil cake back in 2020, the internet has been obsessed with olive oil cakes. I must confess that I was a fan of olive oil cakes long before that. I first tasted one at a restaurant years ago and fell in love. The flavor and texture was so delightful, that all it needed was a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Now that the dust has settled, I’m sharing my favorite orange olive oil cake recipe. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s a really delicious recipe that tastes like spring.

I made cute little orange scented, personal cakes that are really just elegant cupcakes. The recipe is easily adapted to your tastes. You can switch up the orange flavor and substitute with lemon or any citrus of your choice. Even if you don’t like olive oil, you’ll still like these little cakes. I used light olive oil, rather than extra virgin olive oil, for a more subtle olive oil flavor. It’s also able to withstand higher temperatures. Feel free to use your favorite olive oil or replace it with the oil you prefer. Grape seed, avocado, canola and vegetable oil are some examples of oils you can use as a replacement.

This recipe contains almond flour. It helps with texture and flavor, so it’s a necessary ingredient. Almond flour can be pricey, but it’s good to have on hand. Adding it to your baked goods will make them more moist and tender. To find almond flour click here,

 

Mini Orange Olive Oil Cakes

Mari Vasseur
Soft, tender mini orange cakes brushed with orange syrup & dusted with powdered sugar
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 12 mini cakes

Ingredients
  

Mini Orange Olive Oil Cakes

  • 1 cup (113g) cake flour, sifted
  • ¼ cup (28g) almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • â…” cup (133g) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (115ml) light olive oil
  • ¼ cup (59ml) whole milk
  • ¼ cup (59ml orange juice

Orange Simple Syrup

  • ¼ cup (50g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • Powdered sugar for dusting the tops

Instructions
 

Mini Orange Olive Oil Cakes

  • Heat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease and flour a 12 serving muffin pan.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
  • In a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, orange zest and vanilla extract together until smooth. Gradually mix in the olive oil and beat until creamy and well blended.
  • Stir in the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with the milk and orange juice. Stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • Fill the prepared muffin pan cups 2/3 full with batter. Do not overfill or cakes will be more difficult to remove.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tops look light golden, but still moist and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. They bake very quickly, so check them a few minutes early to avoid over baking.
  • Cool the cakes in pan for 5 minutes. Remove them from pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Brush the warm cakes with orange simple syrup and allow to cool completely. When the cakes have cooled, dust with powdered sugar.

Orange Simple Syrup

  • In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and orange zest. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Keyword cake, olive oil, orange