Soon after moving to Dunedin, I learned that Tampa Bay was dubbed the Lightning Capital of North America. After observing several lightning storms and doing a little research, I now understand the sea-breezes that develop on both coasts of Florida in our region, as they move inland and collide—create big lighting and strong thunderstorms—pow!
Next, I became a fan of the Tampa Bay Lightening Hockey Team. So as their end of season is here and we await news of Steven Stamos, I decided to celebrate all things lightening and of course, Florida citrus, by making my favorite very quick Orange Lightening Cake.
The huge bonus in this cake recipe, is the addition of a whole orange to the food processor to begin mixing this very moist one-layer-no-need-for-icing cake. The cake goes together almost as quickly as a winning puck into the net. Moistly delicious, all the ingredients are mixed right in the food processor bowl.
Dissolving the baking soda and vanilla into the water, ensures that it gets equally distributed in the batter.
Makes 8 generous servings.
1 whole navel orange, unpeeled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup water
½ cup room temperature butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large room temperature eggs
1 cup raisins (if too dry, plump in hot water and drain)
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted in microwave 30 seconds
Confectioner’s sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F or 325°F convection bake. Spray an 8” diameter cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, cut to fit; then spray the paper.
◊ Cut the orange into quarters (remove seeds if any) and whizz in a food processor until finely chopped, about 6-7 pulses. Scrape down the sides.
◊ Dissolve baking soda and vanilla in water and add to the food processor. Mix into the orange with the softened butter. Add flour, sugar, and eggs.
◊ Process to combine, about 4 pulses, scrape down, then pulse 2 more times. The ingredients will come together beautifully into a thick batter.
◊ Add raisins and walnuts and pulse about 2-3 times to just combine (Don’t process them too long or they turn to mush
◊ Pour into prepared cake tin and bake until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
◊ Let cool slightly. Turn cake over onto a dinner plate, remove paper; turnover once more onto a serving plate so that the topside of the cake is ready to be sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week or can be frozen.)
