Birthday Cakes

 

          Made this orange butter cake with buttercream icing for my youngest son's birthday last April. I learned how to bake cakes from my mother when I was schooling but icing the cake....not an expert on this. Nevertheless managed to ice the cake. The cakes we buy from our bakery usually ice the cakes with just cream icing which has a flat taste. This is why I prefer to bake and ice my own cakes.

          Well, this cake I baked for my colleague, Liza. Just thought I'll give her a surprise so I baked this butter orange almond cake with buttercream icing and celebrated her birthday in the office during lunch break. Usually when I bake cakes I less the sugar because with the icing, the cake will tend to taste sweeter.

          Transported the cake to the office using this cake carrier that has a tall lid that locks securely into it's base. I placed the cake on a cake board so that when I remove the cover, I can serve the cake on the base and when cutting the cake, the base won't get scratched.

 
Orange Almond Butter Cake

Ingredients:

• 250 gm flour (sieve the flour + baking powder 3 times)
•  250 gm buttercup
•  130 gm castor sugar
• 50 gm almond powder
• 50 gm almong nibs
• grated rind of 1 orange  
•  juice of 1 orange + UHT milk = 150 ml
• 4    eggs
• 2    tsp baking powder ( 10 gm)
• 2    tsp vanilla essence

Method:  

1. Using an electric mixer cream together butter (room temperature) and castor sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. (If eggs are not beaten well, the mixture will curdle & if this happens just add a bit of flour)
4. Add in the vanilla essence, rind of 1 orange, almond powder and almond nibs.
5. Add half the flour, fold to combine. Add half the combined milk mixture, fold to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into a lined cake pan an bake at about 170 ° C for 40 minutes or until a skewer into the center comes out clean.

Buttercream Icing

Cream 200 gm buttercup (room temperature) with electric mixer. Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, Gradually add icing sugar - 400 gm, beating well on medium speed. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add in about a tablespoon of milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.