Orange Marmalade Cake

I made this cake for my mother-n-law a few years ago on her birthday. I am not a huge fan of potent orange flavor but this cake won me over. I decorated it with edible flowers but you could also use orange slices or flowers made out of pineapple.

Cake flour is an essential ingredient as with any cake recipe. Cake flour does not have as much gluten which results in a lighter fluffier tender cake. I prefer to make my own using corn starch and all-purpose flour. 1 cup of cake flour = 2 tablespoons corn starch + 3/4 cups all-purpose.

This cake is best eaten the same day it is made.

Source: Cooking Light
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
9 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tbsp grated orange rind
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 (12 oz) jar orange marmalade, melted and cooled
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
1 1/2 cup frozen reduced calorie whipped topping, thawed

Preheat oven to 350. Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, line bottoms of the pans with wax paper.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt stirring with a whisk.

Beat butter in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until well blended. Beat in orange rind and vanilla. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine buttermilk and milk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans, sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 20 minutes on a wire rack, remove from pans, cool completely on wire rack.

Combine orange juice and 1/4 cup sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pierce the cake layers liberally with a wooden toothpick. Slowly drizzle juice mixture over cake layers. Carefully place 1 layer on a plate, spread with 1/3 cup marmalade. Top with remaining layer, spread remaining marmalade on top of cake. Fold sour cream into whipped topping, spread over sides of cake. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.