I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying the new year! Unfortunately, I had to step away in November. We took a last minute trip to Denver, Colorado, which was amazing by the way! Then came the holidays and another planned trip to the North Carolina mountains in December. Between these wonderful trips, homeschooling, a puppy, and other mounting responsibilities, I had to take an unplanned break. I have missed visiting all my blogger friends and catching up.
I thought I would start back with a recipe I made for New Year’s day, and one of my daughter’s favorites. I originally shared this as part of a blogging contest. It has since become one of my favorite quick and not too sweet desserts. It is fantastic with a cup of coffee. I hope you all enjoy this delicious sponge cake and I look forward to catching up!
Here are some pics from our recent adventures.
Here are Zoe and Alex at the Hammond’s Candy in Denver, CO. They were just a little excited. 😉
Fun in the snow!
Delicious homemade calzones with a view!
Have you ever been to the Biltmore in Asheville, NC? It is worth the visit!
Our little puppy, Bella, is over 8 months old now. I couldn’t forget her. 😀
Ingredients
Cake
- Cake recipe adapted from As Easy As Apple Pie
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup and 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
Orange Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 5 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp. real vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. real orange extract
- zest of 1 orange
Instructions
Cake
- Make sure your eggs are not cold. Either leave them out long enough to come down to room temperature or place them in a bowl of warm water.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare your cake pan. I used a 9 inch round springform pan with deep sides (2 1/2 inches). Butter the pan on the sides and bottom well. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom and sides. Place the bottom piece in the cake pan and then line the sides. I found this method worked very well.
- Place the eggs, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and beat until the eggs are fluffy and pale yellow (about 15 minutes). When you lift a little of the egg mixture and drop it back, it should stay on top.
- Sift the flour into the egg mixture in 2 to 3 batches, gently folding in with each addition.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Do not bang the pan on the counter or smooth the top.
- Place in the preheated oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes. I cooked at a slightly higher temperature than the original recipe called for and my cake was done in 30 minutes.
- Let the cake sit in the pan for 10 minutes before releasing it. Once cooled and ready to serve, add powdered sugar to the top of the cake and serve with my orange whipped cream on the side (see below for the directions).
Whipped Cream
- Add cold cream, vanilla, orange, and orange zest to a mixer with a wire whip attachment and set to high. Don't forget to cover it up!
- Once it slightly begins to thicken, steadily add the sugar (I like to stop and scrape the bowl once the sugar is incorporated).
- Stop and check the whipped cream once you see it begin to thicken. The whipped cream is ready when it will hold its form (note: you may have to check it several times the first time you make it). Be careful not to over mix or it will separate.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days or serve immediately with your cake.
I am looking forward to sharing this yummy sponge cake at Fiesta Friday #206! Your lovely cohosts this week are Diann @ Of Goats and Greens and Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life.
Welcome back. Looks like you had a wonderful time. Happy New Year, too.
Thank you Peggy, it was a lot of fun! Have a fantastic rest of your week! 😀
Hi Antonia, welcome back. Looks like you had fun during your travels, and the photo of the kids in the candy store cracked me up. A little sugar anyone? Ha ha. The cake looks lovely and perfect with that cup of coffee. Happy New Year. 🙂
Thanks Diana, I hope you are doing well! Me too, they are too funny…and all that candy! Thank you so much! Happy New Year and have a wonderful end to your week! 😀
What fun you all had !!! Love all your pic’s and Bella is just so gorgeous and so big now 🙂 Your cake looks so divine. I haven’t made a sponge cake in quite sometime. Your recipe sounds perfect. Happy New Year Antonia 🙂 Have a great weekend.
It was so nice, thank you Lynne! She is getting so big, it is almost hard to believe how fast dogs grow up. Thank you for the kind words. Happy New Year to you as well! 😀
Glad to see you back Antonia and with such a pretty dessert. Looks like your time off was spent well vacationing with family, having a good time and enjoying the holidays 🙂
Thank you so much Judi! It was wonderful and the kids had a such good time. I hope your holidays were nice and Happy New Year! 😀
Thanks for sharing the pics, and happy new year!
Happy New Year Jen! 😀
yum yum! looks like soft spongy cake and would make for a wonderful dessert! #fiestafriday
Thank you so much Ann! Have a wonderful week!
Beautiful, I can almost smell the orange through the monitor… This looks really good. Thanks for sharing the recipe with Fiesta Friday, and also especially your vacation pics.
Thank you for the kind words Diann! Have an awesome week and Happy Fiesta Friday! 😀
What a wonderful break! I love the pictures and seeing your adventures! The candy store picture is hilarious. The cake sounds amazing! So glad your back.
Thank you Lynn! I love that picture too, it is so fitting! They couldn’t believe how much candy was in there. 😀
hahaha
😀
Zoe and Alex are adorable and so is Bella! Thanks for sharing your adventure and this wonderful cake!
Thank you Debbie! Have a fantastic day! 😀
I haven’t had sponge cake in decades. This looks wonderful (and so does Belle).
Thank you Jacqui! Have a fantastic day tomorrow! 😀
So happy to see you back here Antonia! I am so glad that you had such fun times with your family. Alex and Zoe are so adorable and so is Bella! Great photos!
Thank you so much Sandhya! Have a wonderful end to your week!
This is beautiful Antonia!! (love your top photo!) and looks delish! Have never had oranged whipped cream, but I’m pinning this recipe!! thanks. And you have been so so busy! Christmas and all that traveling!! So much fun to see you adorable kids in the photos– my favorite was “Fun in the Snow!” Glad for all the good times we’ve been having and so glad you’re back to blogging! take care blog-friend! xox
Thank you Rhonda! Whipped cream tastes so good with a hint of orange! I hope your 2018 is going well! 😀
Love the kids in the candy store! How cute! I have seen the Biltmore estate before, that place is something else isn’t it? Happy New Year! I wish I had a piece of that cake and a cup of coffee 😊
Thanks Cynthia! They had so much fun and we got to see a lady filling buckets with melted chocolate! I agree, it is such a cool place to visit. I hope you are doing well and Happy 2018! 😀
Buckets of chocolate? 😍😍😍 Thanks, I am doing well and Happy 2018 to you too!
I know, right? Thanks! 😀
How fun, but we’re glad to have you back!! I visited the Biltmore with the kids one year around Christmas. They were as fascinated as I was! I loved the basement with the bowling alley, the swimming pool and the kitchens, which we only got to peek into.And the I lived in the Denver area and foothills for around 20 years. 🙂 I don’t think we had Hammonds when I was there – so glad to see the kids having a blast!
Bella is a beauty!!
Happy New Year!!
Thank you Mollie, I am glad to be back! I love the basement too. I am totally fascinated with the early refrigeration and washing machines, and I still can’t believe there was a room just for rotisserie meats. I would love to see that pool full of water! Neat, the Denver area is so cool and the Rockies are just breath taking. It was a wonderful trip. Happy New Year to you as well and have a great week! 😀
🙂
Looks Sooo Good !!
Thank you Swapna! Have a great week! 😀