Orange Cranberry Cake

There are times when baking a simple, uncomplicated cake seems so right. 

I never did like cooking or baking when I was young.  But I do remember having to help my mum cream butter and sugar whenever she made her chocolate cake.  We didn't own a cake mixer in those days and cakes were always made by hand ... a good old fashion wooden spoon and a big mixing bowl did the trick! 

The very first oven my mum had was a big round stove top type made of aluminium with a glass window. She would place the oven in the corner of the dining room whenever a cake was being baked.  Many years later we managed to purchase a stove built-in oven and this oven lasted us for years.



Orange Cranberry Cake

Ingredients:

170g unsalted butter, softened
260g caster sugar (reduced from original recipe)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4  tsp salt
1/2 cup light sour cream (or you could use greek style yogurt)
2/3 cup dried cranberries soaked in 2 Tbsp orange juice for 15 minutes

Method:

1) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and orange zest.. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in cranberries.

2) Grease and line an 8" round cake pan with parchment paper.  Bake in preheated oven of 350° for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.