What is Operation Jam Jar?

Operation Jam Jar is all about getting back to basics in the kitchen.

Check out my efforts at cooking from scratch - cakes, soups, biscuits

Learn how to make things that you would normally buy at the supermarket - wraps, ice cream, pizza bases

Try to live a more 'country' lifestyle in the city - making your own jams or relish

Get the skills to enjoy cooking in a thrifty way, and have a bit of fun while you do it

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Orange-in-a-Blender Cake



Just when you think you’ve heard it all, along comes a recipe with a difference.  When my friend Jo told me about this recipe, I thought she was a bit mad.  Put a WHOLE orange in a blender – skin, pips, everything?  Surely not!  But of course I had to give it a try, and wow.  This cake is so good.  It’s super moist with just the right amount of citrus zing. 

And talk about thrifty!  No need to zest or juice your orange and toss away the skin.  If you are feeling super thrifty (or if, like me, you run out of baking paper at a crucial cake moment) you can even use the paper bag that the flour comes in to line your cake tin.

Now I have to confess that I over-estimated the grunt of my blender for this recipe, and ended up with a blender full of ingredients that were not moving, let alone blending.  So people, I urge you, cut up your orange into little tiny pieces and blend them on their own before adding all of the other ingredients.    

I also had a little trouble getting the mixture out of the blender, because of all the grooved sides on it.  But persevere with a spatula (or, your hands) and you’ll get there in the end.  

Now I am a bit lazy when it comes to icing.  As in, I can never be bothered with much more than a sprinkling of icing sugar. Don’t hold it against me.

Ingredients

1 orange - skin, pips, the whole bit
1.5 cups self-raising flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
180g melted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Grease and line a regular sized cake tin.

Cut your orange, skin and all, into small pieces.  Place in the blender and whiz together.  Add all of the other ingredients and blend until just combined. 

Pour into your prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
 
Dust with icing sugar and serve as is, still warm, or with a spoonful of cream, ice cream or natural yoghurt.

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