Baking Heaven April 2020

Easter

centrepiece cake

SERVES 10

For the cake

300g (10½oz) butter, softened

300g (10½oz) caster sugar

grated zest of 1½ oranges

juice of ½ an orange

6 large free-range eggs

250g (9oz) self-raising fl our

For the syrup

100g (3½oz) caster sugar

juice of 1 orange

For the frosting

70g (2¾oz) butter, softened

200g (7oz) cream cheese

400g (14oz) icing sugar, sifted

grated zest of ½ an orange

orange gel paste food colouring

1 Grease and line the bases of three

20cm (8in) sandwich tins, then

preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

2 Cream together the butter and sugar

until pale and fluffy. Add the orange zest

and mix well to combine evenly. Beat in

the eggs one at a time, adding a little

flour at any sign of curdling. Fold

through the remaining flour and the

orange juice until the mixture is even.

3 Divide equally between the three tins,

roughly levelling the tops with the back

of a spoon. Bake in the oven for

25-30 minutes until golden brown and

springy to the touch.

4 While the cakes are in the oven,

prepare the soaking syrup. Combine the

caster sugar and orange juice in a small

pan. Heat gently until the sugar has

dissolved, then remove from the heat.

5 When the cakes come out of the oven,

brush the syrup over the tops with a

pastry brush. Allow to cool in the tins for

a further 10 minutes, before transferring

to a wire rack to cool completely.

6 To prepare the cream cheese frosting,

beat the softened butter, then add the

cream cheese. Beat again until fully

combined. Sift in the icing sugar and

work together until the frosting is an

even consistency. Add the orange zest

and stir through.

7 Use a thin layer of frosting to sandwich

each of the three layers together. Split

the remaining frosting into three bowls,

with a single amount in one, a double in

another and a triple amount in the

third bowl.

8 Colour the largest portion a vibrant

orange, the middle sized portion a

shade lighter and the smallest portion a

shade lighter again. Fill a piping bag

fitted with a round open 1cm (½in)

nozzle with the deepest orange frosting.

9 At the outside edge of the top of the

cake, start a round bulb followed by a

trail into the centre of the cake. Repeat

all the way around until a complete outer

circle is created. Take a small offset

palette knife and press it lightly into the

bulb, then move it into the centre of the

cake. Repeat with each bulb until the

top is completed.

10 Repeat the process – piping and

spreading with the lighter shades

of cream cheese frosting, moving in

towards the centre of the cake with

each change of colour. In the very

centre of the cake, swirl the frosting

with the tip of the palette knife to finish.

12 baking heaven APRIL WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM

70g (2¾oz) butter, softened

200g (7oz) cream cheese

400g (14oz) icing sugar, sifted

grated zest of ½ an orange

orange gel paste food colouring

20cm (8in) sandwich tins, then

preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

2

until pale and fluffy. Add the orange zest

and mix well to combine evenly. Beat in

baking heaven

juice of ½ an orange

juice of 1 orange

1212 baking heaven baking heaven baking heaven baking heaven

Use orange, or choose

your favourite colour!