Oh, Oh Orange cake!
fresh orange cake
This is citrus season. No better time to revive the senses out from under the blankets with a fresh orange cake. It always comes as a surprise to me that in the dead of winter here in the Northwest (25 degrees and snow on the ground as I write this), tangerines, oranges, grapefruits and lemons are ripe in the lower half of the country. What a great sight to see at the market-the warm, sunny colors and flavors we associate with summer. From Meyer lemons to blood oranges, there are plenty of choices and the sweet, tart flavors are so refreshing after living on the richer and heavier comfort foods of winter (ok, so I ran downstairs and made myself a cup of chocolate, you know the recipe, with lots of bittersweet chocolate?). 
Not only are citrus fruits loaded with vitamin C, but also have more potassium than bananas and are rich in phyto chemicals–the ones that help to fight cancer. (Come to think of it, so does chocolate.)
I like to make this simple orange cake with the season’s first navel oranges. It is a simple cake to put together and can be baked in a cake pan or a bundt. I make it both ways and still can’t decide which way is best. Drizzle it with a simple syrup of fresh orange juice sweetened with agave or sugar if you want something more. Just don’t over bake it! Always better under than over. Sometimes you just have to bake a lot to figure it out.
Fresh Orange Cake
Makes one 8″ or 9″ cake
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2/3 cup butter (11T.) room temp
1 T. orange zest
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs, room temp.
1 c. fresh orange juice
Set the oven to 350°. Prepare your pan with butter and parchment if using a 8″ or 9″ pan, or with flour if using a bundt (think Big Fat Greek Wedding). In a small bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a mixer, blend the butter until smooth, then add the orange zest (I use a planer and zest right into the mixing bowl to catch the oils released while zesting.) Add the sugar and blend again, then the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add a third of the flour, half of the juice, another third of the flour etc., until all is mixed gently and incorporated. This is the typical “creaming method” you will use for most cakes, muffins, cookies and quick breads. Pour batter into pan, gently level batter and bake for 30 minutes or until just done and starting to color on the surface. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then invert and drizzle with syrup if using.