Orange Cake with Rhubarb Curd and Cream

Don't say I'm not nice to you!  First, I show you how to make a delicious rhubarb curd, and now I'm showing you how to use it in the most delectable cake.   I've just done my annual training camp, and took along the customary selection of home made cakes and biscuits for our traditional tea.  Oh, so civilised! The Army definitely marches on its stomach, and a bit of home made food makes all the difference when you've been surrounded by institutional catering for a few days... This disappeared without trace, I'm glad to say, with barely a crumb remaining.   It's so light and tangy with orange, it would make a good Easter cake - you could use orange or lemon curd in the filling if you couldn't make the rhubarb one.

Orange and Rhubarb Sponge Cake

Orange and Rhubarb Sponge Cake

4 large fresh eggs

8oz/225g caster sugar

8oz/225g buttery spread (or softened butter)

8oz/225g sieved self raising flour

The zest of a large orange

2tsps orange essence

1 heaped tsp baking powder

Filling:

½ pint double cream, whipped, combined with:

approx 3 tbsps of rhubarb curd (preferably home made!)

Topping:

icing sugar (approx. 4oz/110g) plus orange juice (about half an orange)

Preheat oven to 180 deg C, and line two 8” loose bottom sandwich tins with parchment (or spray with a “cake release” agent), and grease the sides.

In a food processor or Kenwood, first beat the sugar and butter/spread together to get air into the mix.  Next add the eggs, one by one, beating well (if the mixture starts to split, add a tablespoon of flour).  Lastly, add the rest of the flour, zest and essence and beat until pale and fluffy.   Divide between the tins and cook for 15-25 minutes (depending on the heat of your oven) until risen and golden brown.  To test, they should have come away from the edges slightly, and if you put a (heated) knife or skewer into the middle, it will come out clean.

Tip the cakes out of the tins onto a wire rack and leave to cool.  When cool, whip the cream and stir in the curd (so that it is still streaky).  Spread the whipped thickly over one of the cakes, then top it with the second one.   It’s a good idea to put the cake on the plate at this stage.   Now sieve approx. 4oz of icing sugar into a bowl and add enough orange juice to make a gloopy mass which, when poured onto the cake will come slightly over the edges but not make a dash for the plate.   If you want to be decorative, cut a few little segments from the remaining half orange and arrange them on the icing.  Having failed on this a few times, my top tip is to leave this bit until the icing has stopped moving!