Orange Cake

The first step is to wash the oranges thoroughly. You might want to leave them in a bowl of water for an hour to hydrate the peel.

After this, pat them dry and they are ready to use.

Next, peel the oranges with a knife like you would peel potatoes.

Try to take as little of the white part as possible.

Put 700 g of sugar cubes and the orange peels in a bowl. Rub and stir them with your hands vigorously to release as much aroma as possible into the sugar.

Apparently, sugar cubes are used because their sharp edges grab more of the oils from the orange peel. Be careful, as this process can be hard on your fingers, so consider using thick plastic gloves.

Place the peels aside in a bowl and grind the sugar in a blender until fine. We'll use this aromatic sugar in the upcoming steps.

As an alternative to protect my hands, next time I may grate the orange peels finely and mix them well with plain sugar.

The Sponge Cake:

Separate egg whites from yolks from 8 eggs into two large bowls.

Add 8 tablespoons of orange sugar to the yolks and mix well with a whisk or mixer until it’s frothy and pale.

Add 5-7 tablespoons of flour (use slightly more if the eggs are large) and 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.

Mix well with a whisk to prevent lumps.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and gradually fold them into the yolk mixture in 3-4 batches, stirring gently up and down to incorporate.

Line the base of a 26-28cm pan with baking paper, grease it with a little butter or oil, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Bake the sponge in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 45 minutes, then let it cool completely in the pan (even overnight).

After cooling, cut it into 3 thin layers using a large knife.

The Cream:

When the sponge is ready and sliced, start preparing the cream.

In a pot with a thick base, place 5 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 4 tablespoons of flour, 6 tablespoons of orange sugar, 500 ml milk, and 20 g butter.

Cook over heat, continuously stirring with a whisk until the mixture starts to boil and thickens.

Cover the cream with cling film and let it cool on the kitchen counter.

Meanwhile, take 300 g of butter out of the fridge to reach room temperature alongside the cream. In 5-6 hours, both will have the same temperature, and you can continue with the cream.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup:

- mix 500 ml of water with half a cup of orange sugar, the peels from earlier steps, the juice of one lemon, and the juice of one orange.

Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and cool.

Finish the cream - in a bowl, mix the softened butter well with the remaining orange sugar.

Gradually add one spoonful at a time of the milk cream (at room temperature, like the butter!) and stir well after each addition.

Continue until all the milk cream is incorporated.

Assemble the Cake:

Place the first sponge layer on a platter or large plate and generously drizzle with the syrup prepared earlier.

Spread a quarter of the cream, place the next sponge layer, drizzle again with syrup, and add another quarter of the cream.

Continue this with all three sponge layers.

Level the top with a knife (or decorate as desired). I sliced the orange peels thinly and spread them across the top as decoration.

Cover the cake with foil and refrigerate for at least 10 hours.

After this time, slice the orange cake and enjoy the incredible flavor and taste. It's extraordinary.

Enjoy!