Ireland: Auntie Florence's Orange Cake

This beautiful, simple and surprisingly elegant cake was contributed by Irish TV chef Darina Allen as one of Ireland's two "birthday cakes" for the festivities celebrating the 1957 signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Union.

Oranges have been popular in Ireland for hundreds of years, initially (in the 1600's) as a faddish snack food, then as a favorite staple in desserts. For example, Dean (Jonathan) Swift's favorite dessert was "burnt oranges" -- oranges and white wine, caramelized under the grill with brown sugar and whiskey. Oranges appear in many Irish desserts, in both fresh and dried / candied forms -- but rarely as intensively as they do here.

It would probably be understandable if residents of the Republic of Ireland pause briefly to wonder whether the "orangeness" of the cake is a sly nod to our cousins up in the "Wee North".

Click "Read more" for the recipe...

• 8 ozs (225g) butter

• 8 ozs (225g) castor sugar

• 8 ozs (225g) plain white flour

• 4 eggs

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• rind and juice of 1 orange

Orange filling

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 3 ozs (110g) butter

• 6 ozs (225g) icing sugar

• rind of 1 orange

Orange Glace Icing:

• 10 ozs (285g) icing sugar

• orange juice

• Candied Orange peel (optional)

• 2 round tins size 8 inch (20.5cm) x 12 inch (4cm)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4.

Grease and flour the tins and line the base of each with a round of greaseproof paper.

Cream the butter and gradually add the castor sugar, beat until soft and light and quite pale in colour, add the orange rind.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat well between each addition. (If the butter and sugar are not creamed properly and if you add the eggs too fast, the mixture will curdle, resulting in a cake with a heavier texture).

Sieve the flour and baking powder and stir in gradually, mix all together lightly and stir in the orange juice.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked.

Turn out onto a wire tray and allow to cool.

Meanwhile make the filling.

Cream the butter, add the icing sugar and orange rind, beat in the orange juice bit by bit.

To make the icing, simply squeeze the juice from an orange, add enough to the icing sugar to make a spreadable icing.

When the cake is cold split each cake in two halves and spread with a little filling, then sandwich the two pieces together.

Spread icing over the top and sides and decorate the top with little diamonds of candied orange peel.

Technorati Tags: Darina Allen Ireland Irish European Union EU birthday 50th anniversary signing Treaty Rome cake