Orange Curd & Cream Layer Cake
Serves: 1 (8-inch) cake
 
Be sure to assemble the cake in advance, allowing time for it to chill completely before slicing to ensure the best presentation and stability.
Ingredients
  • 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar or extra-fine granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3⁄4 cup self-rising flour*
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder**
  • 1 tablespoon half-and-half Vanilla Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
  • Very cold Orange Curd (recipe follows)
  • 1⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange zest (approximately 1 large orange)***
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together butter, 1⁄2 cup sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, and half-and-half with a mixer at medium-high speed just until a smooth batter is achieved, approximately 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once at the beginning. (Don’t overbeat mixture.) Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans, smoothing into a level surface and lightly tapping pans on countertop to level batter.
  3. Bake until edges of cake layers are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cake layers cool in pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks. Remove parchment paper, and turn cake layers right side up. Let cool completely on wire racks.
  4. Place a cake layer, right side up, on a serving plate. Spread a thick layer of Vanilla Whipped Cream onto cake layer, building up at outer edges of cake layer to help contain Orange Curd. Dollop very cold Orange Curd (approximately 1⁄2 cup) by tablespoonfuls onto whipped cream, and gently spread over whipped cream, leaving approximately a 1⁄2-inch border of whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer, right side up. Cover cake lightly and refrigerate until cold or up to a day.
  5. Just before serving cake, using a fine-mesh sieve, dust top of cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar.
  6. In a small bowl and using a fork, stir together orange zest and remaining 2 tablespoons caster sugar, tossing to coat zest with sugar. Using fork, remove zest from sugar and arrange zest around top edge of cake.
  7. Using a large, sharp knife in a downward motion, cut cake into desired number of wedges. For best flavor, let come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
*Measure flour by spooning it into a dry-measure cup and then scraping off excess with a knife to level.
**The addition of baking powder to self-rising flour in this recipe is essential to its success.
***We used a Microplane zester.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/orange-curd-cream-layer-cake/