My family has loved this orange cake for as long as I can remember (most likely longer).
The recipe is my Grandma’s. Surfing is the nickname her children gave her; the sort of nickname you get when you raise kids in a popular surf town. Many recipes in the family recipe folder are paired with the name Surfing.
This orange cake recipe is one of them. Just looking at the old recipe card’s grease stains and dried cake batter it’s obvious that Surfing’s Orange Cake is a family staple.
Growing up, Surfing’s Orange Cake was my absolute favourite treat and was made at least once a month. I’d often take this cake for school lunches or have a huge slice for afternoon tea with a refreshing glass of cold milk. Nowadays, its the recipe my niece Amelia requests and enjoys for her school snack!
Surfing’s orange cake is definitely a quick-mix recipe. All the ingredients are mixed together in one bowl and then the batter is ready for the oven. When it comes out of the oven, the cake is fluffy in texture and has a fragrant yet subtle orange flavour. The secret ingredient (soured milk) keeps the cake moist and fresh for several days after baking (although it is definitely best on the day it is made).
The orange cake is finished off with a delicious blanket of zesty orange icing. This adds a punch of citrusy flavour and texture to each bite. This icing is my absolute favourite part. When I was little I’d eat my slice of orange cake from the inside out. I’d save all of the icing until the end, though now I’m more conventional with my cake eating!
Surfing’s Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cups and 2 tbs of caster sugar
- 85 g butter, softened
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 tsp of white vinegar
- 2 tsp of orange zest
For the icing:
- 15g butter, melted
- 2 ½ cups icing sugar
- 3-4 tbs orange juice
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a loaf tin.
- Stir together the milk and the white vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, sugar, orange zest, egg and milk. Gradually increase the speed of your mixer to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
- Pour the cake batter into the loaf tin.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool.
For the Icing:
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Spread on the top and sides of the cake.
- You can use a cup of hot water to help spread the icing.