Zesty Delight: Moist & Fluffy Orange Cake Recipe
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MAKES 1 CAKE (8") | PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES | BAKING TIME: 40 MINUTES
SKILL LEVEL: EASY
WHAT YOU NEED
180g unsalted butter
180g caster sugar
3 eggs
A pinch of salt
65g finely grated or finely chopped orange peel (rind)
180g self-raising flour
45ml orange juice
TOPPING (OPTIONAL)
Thin slices of orange tossed in flour and placed on top of the batter BEFORE BAKING.
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease an 8" square cake tin with butter and line with baking paper.
2. Use a mixer on medium speed to cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, i.e., until the butter turns a pale yellow.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the salt and orange peel, and mix for 1-2 minutes.
5. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in with a spatula from the bottom up.
6. Add the orange juice, fold in, and pour the batter into the tin.
7. If you want to add orange slices on top, toss the slices in a little flour and place them on the batter.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes, top and bottom heat, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ZEST & RIND
Rind and zest both come from the outer part of fruits, but they’re used a bit differently:
Zest is the thin, colourful outer layer of citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and oranges. It’s typically used in cooking and baking to add flavour and aroma. When you zest a fruit, you’re removing just the outermost layer of the peel, which contains the aromatic oils.
Rind refers to the thicker, often more fibrous outer layer of citrus fruits and some other fruits (like melons). For citrus fruits, the rind includes both the zest and the white pith beneath it. The rind can be used in cooking, but the pith can be quite bitter, so it’s often removed when zesting.
So, zest is specifically the outer, colourful part of the peel used for its flavour, while rind is a broader term that includes the zest and the underlying pith.
