This delicious Easter orange cake with lemon icing is the perfect zesty alternative to a traditional simnel cake.
It's light and fresh and really zingy - with orange flavour in the sponge itself and a complimentary lemon in the drizzly icing. It's a very simple cake to decorate - just make sure the icing is syrupy enough to trickle down the sizes a little, but not so runny that it all pours off. You'll need about 25 minutes to prepare this cake for the oven, then it cooks in about half an hour. Allow time for it too cool before icing it. This is great to serve up at a sunny afternoon tea over the Easter long weekend. Decorate with bunnies and chicks, or for something a little more sophisticated, try slices of dried lemon and edible spring flowers.
Ingredients
- 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 150g (5oz) caster sugar
- 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
- 3 eggs
- Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
- Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tbsp juice)
- 175g (6oz) icing sugar, sifted
- Easter decorations such as chicks and mini eggs
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Grease and base-line a 20cm (8in) diameter square cake tin.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, caster sugar, flour and eggs until light and creamy. Stir in the orange zest and juice then spoon the mixture into the cake tin and level the top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until risen and golden and feel firm to the touch. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, then take it out of the tin, peel off the paper and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
- To make the icing, keep a little lemon zest back for the decoration, then beat the icing sugar, lemon juice and the rest of the zest together to make a smooth, runny icing. Using a palette knife, spread the icing over the top of the cake and let it drizzle down the sides. Leave to set. Scatter over the reserved lemon zest and decorate with Easter decorations.
Top Tip for making Easter orange cake with lemon icing
If you don't have self-raising flour for your cake, then simply add 2½ tsp baking powder for every 8oz plain flour and it will rise perfectly.
You might also like...
-
Easter nest cakeThis simple and chocolate covered Easter nest cake is perfect for Easter. With plenty of Mini Eggs for decoration, the kids are just going to love it
-
Orange polenta and olive oil cakeThis orange polenta and olive oil cake has just a handful of ingredients and will taste even better if you can bake it a couple of days ahead.
-
Mars bar Easter nestsMini Mars bar nests are so easy to make with the kids and can be decorated with your favourite Easter treats like chocolate eggs
-
Annabel Karmel's trio of vegetables with tomato and basilSuitable for six months plus, this baby food by nutritional expert Annabel Karmel is made with a whole heap of veggies...
-
Annabel Karmel's cheesy carrot starsThese flavour-packed cheesy carrot stars by Annabel Karmel are perfect for introducing finger foods to your little one...
-
Steak and salsa wrapsOur steak and salsa wraps are one of those build-you-own suppers the teens in your house will love...
-
"Imagine being asked to speak Spanish if you don't speak it" - here are five phrases to avoid if your kid is mid-meltdown, according to a psychotherapistDealing with a meltdown should be a little easier with this advice
-
iCandy Orange 4 recalled due to potential safety issue - here's what to do if you own oneAnyone using an iCandy Orange 4 pushchair has been advised to stop with immediate effect
-
You season 4 part 1 ending explained: Everything that happened in the mid season finaleFans of Netflix's serial stalker series want the You season 4 part 1 ending explained - including who the murderer was and when You seaosn 4 part 2 will arrive.
