This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Plugrá Butter. The opinions and text are all mine.
This amazing Succulent Orange Curd Cake consists of 3 layers of moist orange cake filled with orange curd and topped with Swiss vanilla buttercream
Succulent Orange Curd Cake
Looking for a refreshing and moist cake made from scratch?
This orange curd cake is simply amazing. Each component complements each other beautifully and is perfect to serve for dessert, afternoon coffee, and even brunch.
For some of you in the northern parts of the country, citrus fruit is a nice way to welcome the spring.
Here in Miami, we never really had winter, so I was able to enjoy photographing this cake outside. And just my luck, it rained in the middle of it and I had to run in with my cake. Gotta love those spring showers!
No worries, I came back the next morning and could finish and finally try a piece of my awaited dessert (it was cheat meal day) 🙂
The decadent crumb, that tangy curd, and that creamy frosting all in one bite was like tasting heaven on a plate.
But before you start making it, let me give you some baking tips:
1- Read the recipe completely beforehand. Sometimes I read it twice in case I miss a step.
2 – Gather all the ingredients of the recipe instead of just getting them when needed. That way, you’ll know if you have everything available to bake and it will make you less likely to forget them. I’ve made that mistake too many times. When the cake was in the oven, I remembered, I had to add the baking powder or the salt. Too late.
3- Use high-quality ingredients. Two people can make the same recipe and not achieve the same results. The cakes may look the same, but there will be a difference in taste, texture, and even durability.
Do not use generic ingredients.
For a good cake and buttercream, you need high-quality butter. For this one, I used Plugrá Butter.
It has 2% more butterfat than regular butter, it’s slow-churned for less moisture, leading to optimal flavor, and finally, it’s made using real milk from American farms. Getting the best of both worlds in one product.
Plugrá butter also has no artificial ingredients and no added growth hormones.
When reading a recipe that calls for # sticks of butter, just keep in mind that one package of Plugrá equals to 2 sticks of butter or 1 cup. When you open the wrapper, it has the tablespoons marked so you’ll know exactly where to cut.
To frost this Orange Curd Cake, I used Swiss Meringue Buttercream as opposed to regular American frosting. The Swiss version does require a few more steps but they are well worth it.
The result is less sweet, creamier, and easier to decorate. I also love that it doesn’t melt as easily as American Buttercream so you can serve it outside during your spring gatherings.
Don’t forget to invest in a good candy thermometer to make the frosting.
I hope you can try this Succulent Orange Curd Cake at home. If you do, please upload a pic on Instagram and tag me @Livingsweetmoments or use the hashtag #LivingSweet.
Orange Curd Cake
Ingredients
For Orange Curd
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice fresh squeezed
- 2 tablespoons Orange Zest
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Plugrá Butter cubed
For Orange Cake
- 2 3/4 cups Cake Flour
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1 1/2 cup Unsalted Plugrá Butter softened
- 4 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
- 3/4 cups Milk
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
For Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Egg Whites about 5-6 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 cups Unsalted Plugrá Butter softened and cubed
- 2 teaspoons Orange Juice
- Food Coloring optional
Instructions
For Orange Curd
- In a medium saucepan, add the eggs, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and salt. Stir over medium heat constantly until the mixture boils and become thick and glossy. About 8-10 minutes
- Remove from heat and add the butter. Mix until butter is completely melted
- Strain mixture, cover with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 2 hours
For Orange Cake
- Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
- Grease 3 - 9" cake pans
- In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside
- Cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Clean the sides of the bowl with the spatula
- Add one egg at a time beating well after each addition. Add orange zest as well
- Mix milk and orange juice in another bowl
- Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients starting and ending with the dry ones. Make sure that everything is well mixed without overmixing
- Pour batter in the 3 prepared pans and bake for 15-20 minutes. Mine were ready in 17 minutes
- Remove from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes before unmolding onto baking racks to cool completely
- Cakes should be completely cooled before filling and frosting
For Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Fill a pot 1/4 of the way with water and simmer over low heat
- Mix the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a mixer. Place the mixer over the pot of simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the mixing bowl
- Keep whisking until the sugar is completely dissolved or until the mixture registers 160 F using a candy thermometer. It will take approximately 3 minutes
- Remove from the heat and attach the bowl to the mixer
- Mix on medium speed using the whisk attachment for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the bowl feels room temperature. Do not add the butter if the mixture is warm, otherwise the butter will melt
- Switch from the whisk to the paddle attachment and add the butter one cube at a time mixing well after each addition. Take your time with this step and add the butter slowly
- Finally add the orange juice
Assembly
- Level your cakes with a knife
- Pipe a buttercream border around you cake and fill it with 1/2 of the chilled curd. Place the second layer of cake on top and repeat the same step
- Place the last layer on top of the cake and frost it all over
- You can use a few drops of gel food coloring on one portion of the buttercream and decorate as you wish
- Refrigerate until set
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Enriqueta E Lemoine says
Love all the beautiful cakes you create! This one is just perfection made a cake!
Tiffany says
Thanks Enriqueta! glad you liked it!
Kate says
This cake is so pretty. I don’t know if I could make it look this nice, but I could certainly make it taste as good.
jill nunn says
OHHHH, Tiffany! I think you just shared the cake I will be making for Easter!
Tiffany says
Awesome Jill! let me know how it comes out
Scarlet says
This recipe sounds so good!! I don’t think I have ever had an orange cake and now I want to try this right away. I am pinning to try soon. It is so perfect for summer.
Tiffany says
Let me know how it comes out Scarlet!
Julia says
This recipe looks very tasty! Be sure to try to cook for your family. Thank you so much for sharing!
Tiffany says
Thanks Julia!
Boston Mover says
Thanks for such a great recipe! It is really very tasty.
Tiffany says
Thanks!
Columbus Cook says
I made this but found the butter much too much and the sugar too low in the buttercream. Are the amounts for those two correct?
Tiffany says
Hi! Yes, sweet meringue buttercream tends to be less sweet than other buttercreams to counteract the cake and filling
Susan says
I want to make this orange cake in one of my Nordic Ware bundt pans. I usually use a combination of all purpose and cake flours. I also only use 1 tsp baking powder plus 1/2 tsp baking soda to prevent a dome. Do you have any other recommendation forconverting this recipe into a bundt cake
Tiffany says
Hi Susan, maybe lowering the oven temperature by 25 degrees would be ideal