Ingredients:
4 eggs
150 g of sugar
150 g of 00 flour
1 cup of baking powder
80 ml of orange sauce (preferably fresh)
Grated zest of 1 orange
50 ml of semi-oil or melted butter
A pinch of salt
Method:
Prepare the ingredients: Start by preheating the oven to 180°C and butter a cake tin (about 22 cm in diameter) or line it with baking paper. Grate the orange zest and squeeze the juice.
Beat the eggs and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is essential to obtain a soft and airy sponge cake, so don’t skimp on the whipping!
Add the wet ingredients: Add the orange juice and oil (or melted butter, if you prefer) to the egg mixture. Gently stir with a spatula to combine the ingredients.
Sift the dry ingredients: In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, stirring gently with a spatula to avoid deflating the mixture.
Stir in the orange zest: Finally, add the grated orange zest and gently stir again.
Bake: Pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth the surface. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Every oven is different, so always do the toothpick test!
Cool and serve: Let the sponge cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack. You can serve it as is, or add a dusting of powdered sugar or an orange glaze to make it even more delicious!
Variations
Stuffed sponge cake: You can fill the sponge cake with custard, orange jam or whipped cream for an even richer dessert.
Other additions: If you like, you can add some chocolate chips to the mixture or a handful of chopped walnuts for extra crunchiness.
Orange cream: For an extra touch, prepare an orange cream to accompany the dessert, cooking the orange juice with sugar, cornstarch and a little butter, until you obtain a smooth and velvety cream.
This orange sponge cake is perfect for a fresh and fragrant dessert, ideal for any special occasion. Do you like the idea? Would you like to add some particular ingredients or use the sponge cake as a base for another dessert?
