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Orange & Olive Oil Layer Cake with Honey-Yoghurt Icing

A scaled-up version of my mini orange & olive oil cakes, decorated with edible pressed flowers and homemade candied orange peels: this is a perfect, summer celebration cake!
Course Dessert
Keyword Cake, Greek yoghurt, Honey, Olive oil, Orange
Prep Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 36 wedding servings

Equipment

  • 2 x 8-inch round sandwich tins (see Note 1).
  • 2 x 8-inch round circles of baking paper
  • 1 piping bag, fitted with a large, round nozzle
  • 1 cake leveller (or a large, serrated knife).

Ingredients

For the tin:

  • 1 batch DIY Cake Release (see Note 2).

For the cake:

  • 300 g golden caster sugar
  • 4 oranges (zest of 4 + 120ml juice (approx. 2-3 oranges)).
  • 4 eggs
  • 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 250 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • Fine sea salt

For the icing:

  • 630 g Greek yoghurt (at least 10% fat)(see Note 3).
  • 320 ml double cream
  • 90 g runny honey

For the decoration:

  • Edible pressed flowers (see Note 4).
  • Candied orange peels (see Note 5).

Instructions

Prepare the cake tins:

  • Brush each cake tin all over with a layer of DIY Cake Release. Add a circle of baking paper to the bottom of each tin, then brush the surface of the paper with a little more Cake Release. Set aside.

Make the cakes:

  • Preheat the oven to 165°C (conventional oven, not fan).
  • Place the caster sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Zest all 4 oranges directly into the bowl with the sugar, then use the back of spoon to press the zest into the sugar until evenly distributed.
  • Add the eggs to the sugar, then whisk on high speed until the mixture has become pale and doubled in size. It should be thick and creamy, like the consistency of softly whipped cream.
  • While the egg mixture is whisking, combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • With the mixer running, pour the olive oil into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, until it is all incorporated.
  • Repeat this process with the orange juice, pouring it in in a slow, steady stream with the mixer running, until it is all incorporated.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and sift 1/4 of the dry ingredient mixture directly over the surface of the batter. Use a handheld balloon whisk to fold the dry ingredients in gently, but thoroughly.
  • Repeat this process 3 more times, adding 1/4 of the dry ingredients each time, until they are completely incorporated. Switch to a spatula for one final, brief stir to make sure no flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Divide the batter between the two prepared tins, then bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the edges of the cakes are starting to pull away from the sides of the tins and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
  • As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, use your fingers, or the flat edge of a palette knife, to very gently push the edges of the cakes inwards, towards the centre. This helps the cakes to release from the sides of the tin, making it easier to get them out of the tin once they are cool and ensuring that the cakes have neat edges later.
  • Allow the cakes to cool most of the way in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack, carefully remove the baking paper from the bottom and allow to cool completely before assembling.

Make the icing:

  • When the cakes are cool, make the icing. Place the yoghurt, cream and honey into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on high speed until the mixture just holds stiff peaks. Don't over-whip. Transfer to a piping bag, fitted with a large, round nozzle.

Assemble the cake:

  • Once the cakes are cold and the icing is made, it's time to assemble. Start by dividing each cake into two layers horizontally, so you're left with 4, thin layers. I use a cake leveller for this, but you can use a large, serrated knife instead.
  • Add a generous smear of icing to the centre of your serving plate/board, then stick the first layer of cake on top, making sure it is centred and level.
  • Pipe a circle of icing dollops all around the circumference of the first cake's surface, then work your way inwards until the surface is completely covered with icing.
  • Carefully top with the second layer of cake, then repeat the icing process again.
  • Repeat this twice more, taking extra care with the final layer of icing, as this will will be on show.
  • Place the cake into the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes, then arrange the edible flowers and orange peels on top, placing them around the circumference of the cake, right on top of that final icing layer.
  • The cake must be stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. As long as the cream/yoghurt were well within their use-by date, it will last for 2-3 days.

Notes

  1. I use these tins from Silverwood.
  2. My recipe for DIY Cake Release is absolutely essential for this recipe, because the cake batter is very prone to sticking to the tins.
  3. Make sure to use a Greek yoghurt that has a fat content of 10%: this will make for a perfectly thick, creamy and stable icing.
  4. I used a selection of pressed, edible flowers from Nurtured in Norfolk.
  5. You can find my recipe for Homemade Candied Orange Peels here.