Easter Orange Sponge Cake

We are in for another special baking treat, with Regular Guest Blogger, Nicola kindly sharing her recipe for an Easter Orange Sponge Cake, it sounds zingy and delicious and if her pictures are anything to go by, I bet the sponge is as fluffy as the little chickies adorning it!!! Thanks Nikki!!!.....very egg-cited to try it!!!.......

Easter Sunday (Domhnach Cásca) is an occasion for many people to spend the day with family and friends. People in Ireland have marked Easter as the start of spring, the birds begin to lay eggs again and baby animals including Spring Lambs are born.

An Easter dinner menu wouldn't be the same without a sweet treat filled with finely grated orange, then spread with a smooth coating of orange infused icing, this classic dessert will be an extra-special treat for you to make for family and friends or even as an Easter gift for that ‘someone special’.

Easter Orange Sponge Cake

Ingredients

225g/8oz Butter (room temperature)  
225g/8oz Caster Sugar

225g/8oz Plain Flour
4 Eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 tablespoon Orange Juice

Orange Filling

225g/8oz Icing sugar (sieved)
125g/4oz Butter (room temperature)
Rind of ½  Orange
1 tablespoon Orange Juice

Glace Icing

275g/10oz Icing Sugar
Orange Juice (about 3 tablespoons, you may need more).
Orange Colouring (optional)

Orange Sponge Cake - Method

1.          Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and base line 2 sandwich tins: 20cms/8".

2.         Put butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat until soft and light.

3.         Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour.

4.         Sieve the remaining flour with the baking powder and add to the creamed mixture.

Mix well.

5.         Finally, stir in the orange juice.

6.         Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins, hollowing it slightly in the centre.

7.         Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and when gently touched it feels firm.

8.         Turn onto a wire tray to cool.

Orange Filling - Method

Beat all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Glace Icing - Method

1.          Make the icing by adding enough orange juice to the icing sugar to make a spreadable icing. If using the orange colouring, add at this point.

2.         When cakes are cold, spread the filling on one side, then, sandwich the layers together. 3.     Spread icing over the top and sides of cake.

4.         Decorate the top with Easter cake decorations.

For the finishing touch, serve and enjoy with a scoop of Vanilla Ice-cream.