Soft-Topped Orange Cake: Easy, Delicious and Refreshing

Most of us love desserts, right? And a soft-topped orange cake is bound to be a favourite. It's easy to make, delicious and wonderfully refreshing on a hot day. Let's give it a try.

Soft-topped orange cake is an all-time favourite. Today we're making it as a tray cake with a soft, fluffy chiffon sponge. This recipe is good enough to sell, or you can make it as a birthday cake, an easy treat at home, or a lovely gift. If you don't want small tray-cut pieces, cut it however you like. Ready? Let's look at the ingredients and method.

Soft-Topped Orange Cake Ingredients

For the Orange Chiffon Cake

• 6 egg yolks (size 2)
• 80 g sugar
• 60 g water or plain fresh milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 70 g sunflower oil
• 100 g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp concentrated orange juice (Sunquick, or any brand you have)
• 6 egg whites (size 2)
• 80 g sugar
• 1/2 tsp lime juice

For the Soft Orange Topping

• 135 g concentrated orange juice (Sunquick)
• 135 g sugar
• 560 g water
• 45 g custard filling starch or cornflour
• 1/2 tsp agar powder
• 30 g unsalted butter

How to Make Soft-Topped Orange Cake

1. Make the cake: put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until pale yellow.
2. Add the water, salt and oil and stir to combine.
3. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir to combine.
4. Add the concentrated orange juice, stir and set aside.
5. Put the egg whites in a mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until coarse bubbles form. Add the lime juice and keep beating until the foam is fine, then gradually add the sugar while beating, until all the sugar is in and soft peaks form.
6. Gently fold one portion of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then pour it back into the remaining whites and fold everything together.
7. Pour the batter into an 8×8-inch square tin lined with baking paper. Bake at 175°C for about 40 minutes, or until cooked, then let cool.
8. While the cake cools, make the soft orange topping: put all the ingredients except the butter in a pot and stir well. Cook over low heat, stirring, until thick. Turn off the heat, add the butter, stir to combine and let the sauce cool slightly.
9. Pour the topping over the cake and refrigerate for about 6 hours or overnight. Then decorate, cut and serve.

Wow, that's really easy, isn't it? This soft-topped orange cake is simple, delicious and refreshing, with a lovely orange aroma. Keep it in the fridge as a pick-me-up, give it as a gift, or make it to sell. Time to start taking orders!