TROPICAL ORANGE LAYER CAKE RECIPE

Enjoy this cake! Tropical orange layer cake, a delicious dessert.

Prep Time    : 1 hour 15 mins

Cook Time   : 30 mins

Servings      : 12

INGREDIENTS

·         220g unsalted butter, softened

·         330g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar

·         4 eggs

·         225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour, sifted

·         150g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted

·         40g (1/2 cup) desiccated coconut

·         180ml (3/4 cup) buttermilk

·         1 orange, zested, plus 1/4 cup juice

·         50g coconut chips (see note)

·         Dried pineapple (see note), to decorate

Orange and pineapple mousse

·         200g Bethonga Gold pineapple, (see note) roughly chopped

·         1 orange, zested, plus 2 tablespoons juice

·         150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar

·         1 x 5g leaf titanium-strength gelatine (see note)

·         250ml (1 cup) thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks

Cream cheese icing

·         750g cream cheese, softened

·         80g unsalted butter, softened

·         1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

·         240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar, sifted

·         1 orange, segmented

Equipment

·         You will need 2 x 20cm springform pans. Allow an extra 2 hours to set.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 180C. Grease cake pans and line bases and sides with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

2.  Combine flours and desiccated coconut in a bowl. Working in 3 batches, add flour to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, and beating after each addition. Add zest and juice, and beat well to combine. Divide batter between pans and smooth surfaces with a spoon.

3.  Bake, swapping pans halfway, for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centres comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Release from pans and cool completely on a wire rack. Clean pans and reserve. 

4.   Meanwhile, to make orange and pineapple mousse, process pineapple in a food processor to a chunky puree. Transfer to a saucepan and add zest, juice, sugar and cornflour, and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, for 8 minutes or until thickened.

5.  Meanwhile, soften gelatine in cold water for 3 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. Add to pineapple mixture and whisk to combine. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cool. Whisk pineapple mixture into cream to combine. Set aside.

6.  Using a serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally. Line reserved pans with plastic wrap, leaving a 4cm overhang. Place 1 cake half in base of each pan. Spread over mousse and tap pans lightly to remove any air pockets. Top with remaining cake halves and gently press. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until mousse is firm.

7.  To make icing, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on high speed for 6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add vanilla bean paste and sugar and beat for 5 minutes.

8.   Remove cakes from pans and place 1 cake on a plate. Spoon 3/4 cup icing over top and spread over cake. Top with remaining cake and gently press. Spread remaining icing and spread all over cake. Decorate with coconut chips, orange segments and dried pineapple, if using.

NOTES

·  Coconut chips are available from selected supermarkets. Substitute shredded coconut.

·     To make dried pineapple, thinly slice 200g peeled pineapple into rounds and place on 2 oven trays lined with lightly greased baking paper. Preheat oven to 100C, then bake, turning halfway, for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave to cool in oven. Dried pineapple will keep in an airtight container between sheets of baking paper for up to 3 days.

·         Bethonga Gold pineapples have sweet, golden flesh.

·         Titanium-strength gelatine leaves are available from delis.

Recipe from taste.com.au

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