Orange You Glad Summer's Gone? Sunny Orange Recipes to Chase Away Winter Blues

Beyond just being sweet and juicy with a beautiful sunny color, oranges contribute generously to desserts in terms of flavor as well as aroma.  Their bright citrus notes come from both the zest and juice. Zest, which contains concentrated citrus oils, infuses a refreshing perfume throughout recipes. Whether grated or thinly sliced, zest distributes these aromatic compounds. Meanwhile, orange juice adds moisture and binder properties to baked goods. Let’s take you through some classic recipes of how you can use the good old orange to add that citrusy deliciously to plain old cakes.

1. Orange Candied Slices

Ingredients:

• 4 small oranges such as mandarin
• 2.5 liters water, divided
• 800 gm granulated sugar, plus extra for coating

Instructions:

1. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring a little less than 1 liter of water to a boil over high heat. Add orange slices and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Transfer orange slices to an ice water bowl, then discard boiled water from the saucepan.
4. To the same saucepan, add the remaining water and sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add orange slices and simmer for 45-60 minutes until rinds are slightly translucent, gently swirling oranges every 15 minutes.
6. Transfer slices to a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Let dry for up to 24 hours.
7. Optionally dip dried slices in granulated sugar and enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

2. Orange Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 250 gm all-purpose flour
• 150 gm sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• Zest of 1 orange

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, oil, eggs and orange zest.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
5. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

3. Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 250 gm gluten-free flour (almond, buckwheat, amaranth, sorghum or millet)
• 150 gm sugar
• 50 gm cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml vegetable oil 
• 100 ml orange juice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Grated zest of 1 orange

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 18 cm round cake tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, orange juice, vanilla and orange zest.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
7. Dust with icing sugar to serve, or frost with chocolate buttercream.

4. Orange Polenta Cake

Ingredients:

• 250 gm all-purpose flour
• 150 gm (boiled cornmeal)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 175 gm sugar
• 2 eggs
• 125 ml vegetable oil 
• Zest of 1 orange
• 125 ml orange juice

Optional: Orange glaze (see instructions below)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 20 cm cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, oil, orange zest, and orange juice until well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Optional: To make an orange glaze, mix 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons of orange juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.