This cake is super moist and packed with the fresh, tangy flavors of yuzu and orange. Topped with a luscious orange icing that gently drips down the sides, this cake is as beautiful as it is delicious. Perfect for any occasion, from afternoon tea to a summer picnic.
Why Yuzu?
Yuzu is a citrus fruit that originates from East Asia, particularly Japan, Korea, and China. The fruit itself resembles a small, bumpy lemon, but its flavor profile is far more complex and intriguing than regular lemons.
Yuzu is the perfect blend of grapefruit, lemon, and mandarin orange—this is what makes incorporating yuzu in to dishes a popular choice among chefs. It has tart taste with a hint of sweetness and a beautifully fragrant aroma.
The Cake
Let’s start with making the yuzu and orange sponge. First preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a 9inch tin with parchment paper, this makes removing the cake easier when baked. In a bowl combine the flour and baking powder and set aside. In a separate large bowl massage the orange zest and sugar together, we do this to release the natural citrus oils the zest contains. Add the sunflower oil, yuzu juice and oat milk and whisk together until well combined.
Gradually whisk in your dry ingredients (flour and baking powder) until well combined. Careful not to over mix the cake batter or else you risk the sponge not being light and fluffy due to knocking the air out. A few lumps are ok. Pour the batter in the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes ,or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool on a cooling rack.
Making the Yuzu Syrup
This step is super easy, simply dissolve the sugar in the water and yuzu. When the cake has cooled, poke multiple holes in to sponge and pour the syrup on top.
Orange Drizzle
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lime juice until smooth and slightly thickened. Adjust the consistency with more juice or powdered sugar as needed. The icing should coat the back of a spoon. Decorate with some slices of dried oranges, you can buy these online or from your local supermarket.
Chef Tips
Clean up as you go along. One major thing I learnt as a Patisserie student at culinary school is to clean up as you go along. Not only is there less washing up to do at the end but ensure you have all your ingredients ready for the next part.
Don’t overmix the batter. As soon as there are no visible streaks of the dry ingredients, STOP. This will help ensure your cake comes out light and fluffy.
Prepare your loaf pan. Lightly grease an 9 inch tin with some oil or vegan butter and place parchment paper inside it. The butter helps the parchment to stay in place and the parchment helps you to easily lift the cake out once baked.
Yuzu & Orange Drizzle Loaf
This cake is super moist and packed with the fresh, tangy flavors of yuzu and orange. Topped with a luscious yuzu-orange icing that gently drips down the sides, this cake is as beautiful as it is delicious. Perfect for any occasion, from afternoon tea to a summer picnic.
Ingredient
Cake
Yuzu Syrup
Orange Icing
Instructions
Cake
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Preheat oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
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Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Mix well to ensure everything is evenly distributed. Set aside.
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Mix remaining ingredients
In a separate bowl, massage the zest and sugar together until fragrant. Add the sunflower oil, yuzu juice and oat milk and whisk together until well combined.
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Combine wet and dry ingredients
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
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Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Cool
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Syrup
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Making Syrup
In a saucepan, heat all the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved.
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Pouring Syrup
Once the cake has cooled completely, poke holes in the sponge and pour the syrup on top.
Lime Icing
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Make the icing
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice until smooth and slightly thickened. Adjust the consistency with more juice or powdered sugar as needed. The icing should coat the back of a spoon.
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Decoration
Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the orange icing over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.