Citrus Cake, or Torta agli Agrumi: A simple, refreshing cake that will be perfect at any time of year. In Italy it's made with oranges or lemons, depending upon the preference of the cook, and it will be nice with other citrus fruit as well, for example limes.
Assuming you are using oranges, you'll find the ingredients to serve 4 below. If you instead decide to use lemons, use 2, putting the zest of one in the cake and the juice of both in the sauce.
Assuming you are using oranges, you'll find the ingredients to serve 4 below. If you instead decide to use lemons, use 2, putting the zest of one in the cake and the juice of both in the sauce.
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- For the Cake
- 3 eggs, separated
- The grated zest of two organically grown oranges
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) flour
- 1/2 cup (50 g) potato starch (check the Jewish aisle of your supermarket if it's not with the flour)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- --
- For the Cream
- The juice of a lemon
- The juice of the 2 oranges
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- A walnut-sized piece of unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar (about a quarter cup, 25 g)
Preparation:
To make the cake, cream the butter, then beat in the yolks and the sugar, and continue beating until the mixture is pale yellow and quite smooth. While you are beating, preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C).
Beat the whites to firm peaks. Work the flour, potato starch, zest, and milk into the butter mixture, and then fold in the whites and the baking powder. Turn the batter into a buttered, floured 9-inch (25 cm) round pan and bake it for about 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking see to the sauce: combine the lemon and orange juices in a small pot and whisk in the butter, granulated sugar, and flour. Bring the mixture to a boil over a gentle flame, stirring constantly, stir in the powdered sugar, and let it cool.
When the cake is done, and has cooled sufficiently to be handled, cut it in half widthwise, spread the sauce over the bottom half, cover it with the top half, and let it rest for several hours before serving it.
Beat the whites to firm peaks. Work the flour, potato starch, zest, and milk into the butter mixture, and then fold in the whites and the baking powder. Turn the batter into a buttered, floured 9-inch (25 cm) round pan and bake it for about 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking see to the sauce: combine the lemon and orange juices in a small pot and whisk in the butter, granulated sugar, and flour. Bring the mixture to a boil over a gentle flame, stirring constantly, stir in the powdered sugar, and let it cool.
When the cake is done, and has cooled sufficiently to be handled, cut it in half widthwise, spread the sauce over the bottom half, cover it with the top half, and let it rest for several hours before serving it.
