I have only recently discovered Italian Cream Cake, it is moist and lovely and speckled with coconut, cream cheese frosting and pecans to decorate. The addition of orange curd in this one takes things up a level. So by all means go with just the frosting but I think it’s absolutely worth the addition of orange curd. Normally a three-layered cake —I’ve made a single 10-inch round, as the other is just too big for us.

Italian Cream Cake with Orange

Ingredients

100gr butter

50gr coconut oil

250gr sugar

3 free range egg yolks

2 tsp vanilla extract

160gr cream flour

2/3 tsp bread soda

90gr buttermilk

58gr Greek yogurt

60gr flaked coconut

Method

• Grease the sides and base of a 10 inch round deep tin; line the base with a disk of parchment paper.
• Beat the butter, coconut oil, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Gradually add the egg yolks, beating well as you go.
• Mix together the buttermilk and yogurt.
• Sift together the flour, bread soda. Alternately, add 1/3 of the flour to the butter mix, then ½ the buttermilk, finishing with flour.
• Fold in the coconut, then whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and scrape into the prepared tin, level carefully then bake in the centre of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until cooked through and golden.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out of the tin onto a wire rack.

Orange curd

Ingredients

132gr sugar

80gr corn flour

150ml orange juice

2 free range eggs mixed together

38gr butter

1 tbsp grated orange zest

Method:

• In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the sugar and corn flour, whilst still whisking add the orange juice.
• Next add the eggs and whisk together, then pour into a medium-sized heavy- based saucepan.
• Bring to the boil over a low heat, stirring all the time.
• Simmer for one to two minutes until thickened, again stirring all the time.
• Once cooked, remove from the heat, next whisk in the butter and orange zest.
• Once thickened, scrape into a clean container to cool.
• Place cling film directly onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming.
• Cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

112g cream cheese

56gr soft butter

112gr icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Decorate

Toasted pecans

Toasted shaved coconut

Method:

• Beat the cream cheese with softened butter, add the icing sugar and vanilla.
• Assemble the cake
• Split the cake in half horizontally, keeping the smooth bottom layer for the top.
• Spread about half the orange curd on the first layer, place the next layer on top and spread remaining curd.
• Chill the cake for an hour or two before coating the sides of the cake with cream cheese frosting.
• Decorate with some toasted pecans and toasted flakes of coconut. Serve chilled.