White Cake with Orange Zest

Couple of days back, I was going through my recipe diary and found the recipe of this wonderful cake which I had jotted down long back (precisely, 2 yrs back) and completely forgotten!!!So, on Sunday I decided to try it out and wallah it turned out to be sooo delicious *smiles*........

Moreover, it was the most perfect cake I had ever baked *winks*......The cake was soft and sweet, even at the top with no humps; just the way I wanted it!!!*smiles*

Ingredients:
Recipe Source: Kitchen Mishmash

For baking the cake
Cake flour - 1 3/4 cups
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Large egg whites - 3 (room temp)
Whole milk - 3/4 cup (room temp)
Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Vanilla essence - 1/2 tsp
Orange zest - 1 tbsp (not required if you want a plain basic white cake)

For moistening-orange syrup
Water - 1/4 cup
Sugar - 1/4 cup
Orange juice - 1 tbsp (I used Tropicana)

For filling and frosting
Heavy double cream - 2 cups
Confectioners sugar - 3 tbsp
Orange juice - 1 tbsp (I used Tropicana)

Method:

To Bake the Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare cake pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and greasing the sides with butter and sprinkling some flour.
• Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Keep it aside.
• Whisk together the egg whites and milk in a small bowl and keep it aside.
• Beat the butter for about 2 minutes, until soft and creamy. Add the sugar gradually and beat until very light and fluffy for about 3 minutes.Scrape down the bowl once or twice and then add the vanilla essence and combine everything well.
• Add the flour mixture in 4 additions - alternately with the egg white and milk mixture; beginning and ending with the flour mixture and beat until smooth on low-medium speed after each addition.
• Pour the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes with a few moist crumbs or none. the edges will be barely tinged with brown and will have begun to come away from the sides of the pan.
• Allow it cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then unmould directly onto racks and peel off the parchment paper and let it cool completely.

* If using a microwave oven, then microwave at 600 W for 10 minutes.

To Make the orange syrup

• In a small saucepan, stir together water and granulated sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool completely.
• Add the orange juice just before assembling the cake.

* The moistening syrup can be made in advance but should not be flavored with orange juice until right before using.

For filling and frosting

• Chill the heavy cream, the bowl and the blades of the beater for half an hour.
• Combine the heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and 1 tbsp orange juice in a bowl and beat on medium-high speed, until it forms soft peaks.

* Never overbeat the cream as it changes the texture of the whipped cream.

Assembling the Cake

• When the cake is completely cool and ready to assemble, split the cake horizontally using a knife or a cake leveler.
• Brush 3 tbsp orange syrup onto the top of each cake layer and spread about 3/4 cup of whipped cream evenly over the first cake layer.
• Now place the second cake layer and frost the entire cake - sides and tops, with the remaining whipped cream.
• Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

* You could decorate the cake according to your imagination. I had some oranges and edible silver beads, so used them for decorating the cake. *winks*