When I decided to create Fit For A King, trying new recipes seemed like a smart thing to do. Nourishing Traditions, From My Grandmother’s Kitchen, and Betty Crocker all sat on my shelf looking so forlorn.  Dessert was on my list and The Orange Cake was a perfect fit.

I was pleased with the results and a few coworkers enjoyed it too!  It had a pleasant orange flavor, soft moist crumb and a nice crunch from the pecans. This recipe was added to my list for future parties and events.

This cake isn’t overly sweet and not your typical dessert cake.  The flavor is mild and reminded me more of a breakfast cake, dense and filling.  But a small slice after a nice meal, was perfect too.  My visitors ate it for dessert and breakfast along with a cup of coffee!

“This delicious cake incorporates the principles of both lacto-fermentation and enzyme nutrition.  The flour is soaked in cultured cream and yoghurt and, after cooking, the cake is soaked for another day or so in a mixture of orange juice, lemon juice and raw honey, whey and brandy or sherry.  This imparts enzymes to the cake along with flavor and moistness.”            Nourishing Traditions, pg 567

Have you ever heard of a CAKE helping with digestive enzymes and healing the gut?  Wow, could it get any better than this?  I have become friends with this cake.

Orange Cake  – Nourishing Traditions pg 567

2 1/2 cups freshly ground and sifted spelt, kamut or whole wheat flour (I used sprouted spelt)
1 cup piima cream or creme fraiche
1 cup whole plain yoghurt
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups rapadura (otherwise known as dehydrated cane sugar juice)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
grated rind of 2 oranges and 2 lemons
1 cup crispy pecans, finely chopped (refer to Crispy nuts)
juice of 2 oranges and 2 lemons  (Young Living Essential oils can be added)
1/4 cup whey (refer to Easy Peasy Cream Cheese)
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup brandy or dry sherry (optional) – I didn’t have any and the cake seemed perfect without it.

Mix flour with yoghurt, cultured cream and water.  Cover and leave in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours.

Cream butter with Rapadura and eggs.  Beat in baking soda, salt, vanilla and grated rind. Gradually incorporate the soaked flour and fold in the nuts.

Pour batter into a well-buttered and floured fluted bundt pan or angel food cake pan.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool.

Place lemon juice, orange juice, honey, whey and optional sherry or brandy into a container and set in simmering water until honey is dissolved. (I used a glass bowl set on a pot of simmering water.)  Feel free to add a drop of lemon and orange essential oils just before pouring over cake.   Slowly pour this mixture over the cake until the liquid is absorbed.

Cover with a towel and leave at room temperature for 1 or 2 days.  To serve, loosen sides with a knife.  Turn over onto a serving plate and tap pan until the cake falls out.  (FYI – this means to put the serving plate on top of the cake pan and then turn it over.)

Eat your heart out, Pillsbury and Duncan Hines!

If you are interested in purchasing this cookbook, please click on the following link:

Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats

If you are interested in purchasing Young Living Essential Oils, please click on this link:

Young Living – Fit For A King