Orange Cake in a Blender

When I first saw this cake baked by a lovely lady, I was intrigued - a cake that was made in a blender!  Jam's photography made the cake look so drooling-good that I knew I had to try my hands at making this cake... and what an utterly quick and easy cake to make it turned out to be!  If you can measure out the ingredients, mix in the flour, and pop it into the oven, you're well on your way to savouring this cake! ;P


Orange Cake in a Blender
Ingredients:
1 large Orange (cut into quarters, and half it again.  Remove seeds and the white plith where possible.  No need to remove the skin - easy right?)
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Oil (I used Canola oil)
3 Eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder

Method:

1. Sift the flour and baking powder together.
2. Using a blender, blend the orange, sugar, oil and eggs until smooth.
3. Add the blended mixture to the flour, and mix them well together.
4. Pour the mixture into greased pan.
5. Bake in a preheated oven, 150 deg C for 40 minutes.

The cake has a very light orangey fragrance and is a perfect quick afternoon tea-cake.  It's absolutely beautiful with tea. :)

Absolutely yummy and did I mention how easy it is to bake? ;)

ETA:

I just melted some choc and poured over this cake... and the effect is oh WOW!  The choc just adds a whole different dimension to the fragrance of the orange cake... mmmm perfect!

ETA (14 June 2012):
I've tried another recipe of this cake, and it yielded a very good texture too.  It uses butter instead of oil, and self-raising flour instead of the plain flour+baking powder.  I used this recipe to help a friend bake a cake for her 12-month old daughter, so that the Birthday girl could cut and eat the cake with her family for her 1st Birthday. :)


Ingredients:
1 orange, chopped roughly into small pieces (cut into quarters, and half it again.  Remove seeds and the white plith where possible.  No need to remove the skin.)
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
180g butter, melted
Icing sugar for dusting
**If baking for older kids, add about a teaspoon or two of Cointreau for a brighter fragrance)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a round cake tin with baking paper and set aside.
2. Place the orange into the blender and blend until it's mushy.
3. Add the flour, sugar, eggs and butter and blend until just combined.
4. Pour into the baking tin and smooth surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.

Made in a 9-inch springform pan.

Frosted with Orange Icing.  Basically,  250g icing sugar mixed with 50ml orange juice.  We covered the cake, and then when the icing dried, it had a very nice glossy finish.

Because the recipe was so simple, I tried it out making cupcakes!  I frosted with melted chocolates...

...and the left over orange icing!  I added the Cointreau for these cuppies and my kids really loved it!

The texture is so fine and fluffy.  I didn't store them in the fridge, just in an air-tight container on the kitchen counter.

For a larger cake, you might consider using a simple choc ganache, but jazzing it up with Cointreau:

Ingredients:
170g Dark Chocolate (I used the Cadbury Old Gold 70% Cocoa)
1 teaspoon Cointreau
1 can Nestle Cream Pure Dairy Sterlised Cream

Method:
1. Heat the choc in a microwave oven at short bursts of 20 sec at med heat until all the choc is melted. Be careful not to burn the choc.
2. Pour the can of cream into the melted choc and mix well until the two ingredients are incorporated.
3. Add in the Cointreau and blend well.

Done!

The choc ganache is pliable and holds itself well in our warm weather. Excess ganache can be stored in the fridge and warmed in the microwave before use.