Peel Back the Layers of an Opera Cake; Dig Into Creamy Cheesecakes, and More ‘O’-rated Treats

This one is bound to surprise you with its citrusy, creamy and olive oil-baked confections that are all desserts! In our alphabet series, we take a look at the most iconic desserts that do justice to the letter and win hearts.

The letter ‘O’ seems to be a fairly uncommon one when it comes to names of classic desserts beginning with it that originate from around the world. From citrus-infused cakes to creamy cheesecakes, let's take a stroll down the ‘O’ avenue, and check out the boulangeries that house some of the most beloved sweet treats that begin with this letter.

Desserts like orange cake and opera cake have long been staples enjoyed at afternoon tea parties and formal dinners. But there are also some more unique finds worth discovering within this O-themed category. For instance, did you know olive oil can be used to make a moist and flavorful cake perfect for snacking? So, without further ado, let's begin our journey through this delicious lineup of desserts.

1. Orange Cake

Ingredients:

• 225 gm all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 110 gm butter, softened
• 220 gm sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 180 ml orange juice

For the frosting:

• 175 gm butter, softened
• 350 gm powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 20 cm cake pan.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in the orange zest.
• Mix the dry ingredients and orange juice with the wet ingredients until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Allow it to cool completely before frosting.
• To make the frosting, beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the orange juice and zest. Frost the cooled cake.

2. Opera Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake layers:

• 250 gm butter, softened
• 250 gm sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 250 gm all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp coffee liqueur

For the filling:

• 250 gm dark chocolate, chopped
• 250 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp coffee liqueur

For the frosting:

• 150 gm butter, softened
• 350 gm powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
• 2 tbsp hot water

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease three 20 cm cake pans and line the bottoms with baking paper.
• In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter along with flour and 1 tbsp liqueur.
• Divide batter between pans and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
• To make the filling, heat cream in a saucepan until steaming. Remove from the heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 tbsp liqueur and let cool completely.
• For the frosting, beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and beat it until it’s smooth; then beat in liqueur and hot water.
• To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate and spread with one-thirds of the filling. Repeat layers and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for it to firm nicely.

3. Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the rust:

• 250 gm Oreo cookies
• 100 gm butter, melted

Filling:

• 900 gm cream cheese, softened
• 200 gm white sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs

For the topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 cup crushed Oreo cookies

Instructions:

• Crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter until combined. Press into the bottom of a 23 cm springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 160°C. Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until it’s smooth. Add the sugar and beat it until fluffy.
• Beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla until fully incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and let it cool for 2 hours with the door ajar.
• For the topping, whip the heavy cream with sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over the cheesecake and top it with crushed Oreos. Refrigerate for 6 hours before serving.

4. Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

• 200 gm all-purpose flour
• 150 gm sugar
• 4 eggs
• 150 gm olive oil
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 20 cm cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Whisk in the olive oil until combined.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir just until no flour is visible. Stir in the lemon zest.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely on a flat surface before slicing.