Orange Tea Cake

For months I have been working my way through Paula Shoyer's The Kosher Baker and documenting some of my successes on the blog. Her recipes are very straight forward and fairly foolproof. 2 qualities that I greatly appreciate as a novice baker.

As you might remember, the recipe that really got me hooked on Paula's amazing recipes was her mandelbread that tasted to me exactly how both of my grandmothers made it. I had an out of this world experience while learning how to bake my favorite childhood treat. When I shared this with Paula, she was kind enough to write back (sometimes I'm still in awe of just how small social media makes the world). I was touched by her kind words and couldn't wait to dive into making her Orange Tea Cake at her suggestion.

As seems to happen more often than I like to admit, life got busy and I didn't have time to make this yummy cake. Then I read a post by Paula about her experience doing a baking demonstration in her grandmother's kitchen that now housed the same Chabad Center where her grandmother grew up.  I won't pretend to be able to capture what the experience was like for her, but I highly recommend reading her post. It is incredibly moving.

With a little inspiration, I finally dove in and made her Orange Tea Cake. She was not kidding, this cake is beyond delicious and pretty easy to make too! I was shocked that it was pareve. This thing is so good and the perfect crowd pleaser. I can not recommend it enough or thank Paula enough for suggesting it.

Cake Ingredients:
1 Earl Gray tea bag
½ cup boiling water
2 cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated outer peel) (from 1 orange)
¼ cup fresh orange juice (from zested orange)

Cake Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°
Grease and flour a large Bundt pan

Steep the tea bag in the ½ cup of boiling water
Add 2 teaspoons of the sugar and stir until dissolved
Let steep while you prepare the batter

Add 2 cups of sugar, the eggs, oil, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, orange zest, and orange juice into a large mixing bowl

Mix on medium speed until well combined

Lift the tea bag from the tea and squeeze excess tea into the tea to make it as strong as possible
Discard the tea bag
Pour the tea into the batter

Mix for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed
Ingredients should be well combined and the batter should be creamy

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan

Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the pan
Turn the cake onto a rack and let cool completely

Glaze Ingredients:
1 Earl Grey tea bag
½ cup boiling water
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Glaze Directions:
Place the tea bag in the ½ cup of boiling water and let steep 2 minutes
Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl
Add 2 tablespoons of the brewed tea 

Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and you have a white glaze you can pour
Let the glaze sit 5 minutes to thicken

Pour or drizzle glaze over the cake
Enjoy!

Just like the picture! This cake could not be easier to make or come out more delicious. I guarantee if you follow all of Paula's steps you will have a dessert that will impress all of your guests.

Thank you Paula for yet another amazing recipe!