Orange Cake with Custard Layer topped with Chocolate Ganache

I LOVE deserts. I am the kind of person who excitedly checks the desert counter first to see how good the menu is !! It doesn't matter how full i am, deserts easily find their way in my stomach!! My 'Sweet Tooth' can be explained by the 'Bengaliness' in me having lived in Kolkata since birth. Probably its also genetic. My father has the sweetest tooth I've ever known. The 'Sweet Tooth ' in our genes got confirmed when Vaanya, my daughter, started showing her liking towards sweets. 

 No wonder when we have friends at home, my menu planning begins from deserts!! This cake was made as an experiment when my schoolfriend Minu came to visit us with her husband Amit and her adorable daughter Suhani. The cake in itself is super spongy  and is low in fat. The custard layer was my idea to keep the cake moist  and give it a pastry look while maintaining the low fat. The only place i went overboard was the Chocolate ganache. Since then this cake has been made many times and was polished off every time !! 'Baker's delight' you may say !!

The orange cake recipe is from a blog i love to follow  Cakes and more by suma rowjee


Ingredients : Makes one 8-inch round cake

• 1 cup refined flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp orange juice 
• 1 large egg 
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Procedure : Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by greasing and lining with butter paper.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Whisk together yogurt, oil, orange zest and juice, egg, and vanilla in another bowl. 
Fold in the wet mixture into the flour mixture.  Mix well.
Pour into prepared pan. 
Bake  for 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. 
Cool on a wire rack.
Take a thread and cut the cake horizontally to  make two layers.

Custard for layering

Ingredients :

• 1 cup milk
• 3-4 tbsp custard powder
• 1 tbsp sugar

Procedure : Heat milk in a pan and add sugar.

Dissolve the custard powder in some water in a bowl.

Once the milk comes to a boil add the dissolved custard powder slowly while stirring continously. Let the milk thicken and then take off the burner to let it cool. Spread the custard between the cake layer.

Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients :

• 1/2 cup chocolate 
• 2-3 tbsp cream
• 3 tbsp milk 

Procedure : Melt the chocolate in a microwave for 1 min or in a double boiler. Add cream and milk and mix well. Pour immediately on the cake otherwise the chocolatle will harden and the icing will not look smooth.

 

I used the remaining thick custard as icing for the cake and decorated with some orange flanks .

 

Happy baking and eating !!

Amrita