Cast Iron Orange Cake

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield:1 10-inch cake

FOR THE CAKE

• 2cups/400 grams granulated sugar
• 2navel oranges
• 2teaspoons vanilla paste or vanilla extract
• ¼teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground (optional)
• ½teaspoon plus a pinch kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal
• 1cup/226 grams salted butter, at room temperature
• 2medium or large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2cups/255 grams all-purpose flour
• ¼cup/50 grams semolina flour (or another ¼ cup/32 grams all-purpose flour)
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• ½cup/60 grams chopped toasted walnuts
• Olive oil, for the pan

FOR THE BUTTERMILK CHANTILLY CREAM (OPTIONAL)

• ¾cup/180 milliliters heavy cream
• ½tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• ¼cup/60 milliliters whole buttermilk

PREPARATION

1. Step 1

   Make the cake: Place a 10-inch cast iron pan on the middle rack of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees while you prepare the batter.

2. Step 2

   Add sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and finely zest one orange into it. Set the bowl aside and then trim a bit of the stem end off both oranges and discard. Cut oranges into 8 pieces and puree in a food processor or blender, scraping the bowl as needed. You need 1½ cups puree; set aside.

3. Step 3

   To the stand mixer bowl, add vanilla, fennel seeds (if using) and a pinch of salt. Rub ingredients together vigorously with your hands and fingers.

4. Step 4

   When sugar is fragrant, add butter and set the mixer to medium-high speed to cream until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down bowl and paddle, making sure you aren’t leaving any butter unattended.

5. Step 5

   Add egg yolks and beat on medium-high until well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes more, remembering to scrape bowl and paddle as needed.

6. Step 6

   While wet ingredients are working in the mixer, prepare dry ingredients by whisking together flour, semolina, baking powder and salt.

7. Step 7

   Scrape butter mixture down from bowl and paddle. Give it a good stir to make sure the batter is well mixed. Return to the stand mixer, add the reserved 1½ cups orange puree and slowly incorporate on medium-low speed, then turn to medium-high to blend well.

8. Step 8

   Starting on low speed, add dry ingredients, then increase speed to medium-high and eventually to high, scraping bowl and paddle all the livelong day, until batter is very well mixed.

9. Step 9

   Remove the bowl from the mixer and use your spatula to scrape and stir in the nuts, making sure they’re well combined.

10. Step 10

    Remove the hot skillet from the oven, brush with a generous amount of olive oil and spread batter in the hot pan. It should sizzle and will get a nice, toasty caramelized bottom during baking.

11. Step 11

    Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The cake should be set in the middle and golden brown on top. You can use a cake tester if you have one; it should come out clean. This cake can be eaten on its own warm out of the oven after sitting for a little over 30 minutes.

12. Step 12

    If you’d like, make the cream: Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat heavy cream in a large bowl, gradually adding sugar along with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form, 3 to 6 minutes. Add buttermilk and beat until billowy with soft peaks, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with slices of cooled cake, or chill in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. If the cream separates a bit after sitting, gently beat the cream with a whisk (nothing electric here) just to recombine.