Aunt Verna's Orange Cake

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I followed this recipe exactly. It took almost one hour to bake and was very dense. The flavor of the orange was overpowered by the honey. It was definitely not what I expected; I will not make it again.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

In response to the other reviews, this is a pound cake style cake (real pound cake, not the oversize Twinkies you can buy already made. This means that the outside will be dark (think banana bread and the texture will be slightly dense. If you are looking for the cake you get from a box mix or buy at the supermarket bakery, this isn't for you. This is very good eaten like pound cake or banana bread, with coffee, and with an orange sauce (reduce 3 c.orange juice w/ 1 t. orange zest by 2/3, and add one orange's worth of supremes. Very nice.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

A great change of pace from "regular" cakes.
Moist, slightly dense and not overly sweet.
I did not have orange blossom honey so I used wildflower instead. I also added 1/4 tsp orange extract and 1/4 tsp cardamom which made it wonderfully aromatic.

Regarding the cooking time... At 30 minutes, it had risen but was still soupy inside. At 40 minutes the center had begun to set. At 45 minutes, it was done. As the recipe states, you need to start checking at 30 minutes and keep checking because things happen fast after the 30 minute mark.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Where's the fat?

I think this cake is missing the oil or butter. It had a good taste, but it was dense and dry. I didn't have a metal loaf pan, I use glass. I lowered the cook temp to 325 and upped the cook time by 15 minutes. It wasn't burned, and the middle was still slightly doughy... yet the rest of the cake was super dry. I won't be making this again.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I make this cake with the exception I dint have orange honey so I substituted with sugar and add the orange juice, I live it 40 minutes and I start checking I dint burn it but It was over done any ways It was very good and moist still, my husband never try a orange cake and he love it and my kids 2. I think this one will be perfect for coffee.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I was making this cake for a friend (who can't have non-honey sweetners, and it was quite good. However the honey taste was a little too much for me (it felt after eating it like I just put a handful of honey in my mouth and down my throat. It was also dense.

So, since my test subject brother didn't like it so dense, and it was quite a bit more crumbly, we modified it. Added 2tbsp of butter, whipped that with 3/4 cup honey, and then the eggs, the juice of half an orange, and the zest and to help it rise added another 1/2 tsp of baking powder. I also changed baking to 370 (35-40 in my oven cause I had to cook it at 350 for 55 min previously for it to be done. But it still got really dark at the edges both times. Also, I sprinkled in a bit of anise seed for fun. It turned out lighter (in texture and moister, with a nice flavor mix of the honey and orange.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I'm an experienced baker and loved this cake. It was extremely easy, I didn't have any oranges for zest but had some orange oil, it made a great substitution! Utilizing the honey instead of butter and sugar was excellent, leaves a fantasic flavor and texture. The cake was moist and delicious! Again, this has a texture of pound cake, but I would make this again in a minute. It does need to bake about 40 minutes.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This is one of the simplest cakes to make and great for beginners that wants to try their hand in baking. The smell of honey while baking was great. I do have to be a honest though, I substituted the all purpose flour with bread flour to make it more of a bread and less of a cake. Still turned out well. It was a bit dry, but that was entirely my fault. I :ahem: made a bit of a mistake with the oven...

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

This is a really lovely, delicately flavored cake, that pairs well with tea and coffee, and is especially nice with a pad of butter for breakfast. For those reviewers who do not agree with the flavor, all I have to say is: It's NOT suppose to taste like birthday cake!

I've made it twice, and both times I added the juice from the orange I zested, along with a tiny bit more flour so the batter wasn't too watery. Also, I used just regular clover honey and that came out just peachy. The second time I made it, I added some chopped walnuts. Yum. ;

I do agree that there is few minor problems that everyone else seems to be having, but that was easily corrected the second time I made it. The time does need to be increased to about 40-45 mins, and because of that it gets pretty dark. Easy fix: cover it with foil at 30 mins, and be sure to bake it in a glass baking dish, instead of metal. Also, I put some wax paper on the bottom of the pan, because it stuck the first time. Just do that and it'll come out perfect!

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I made this recipie twice. The first time it came out raw in the middle and burned on the outside, so I went back to the recipie and made it again making sure I followed the directions to the letter. And.....it came out raw in the middle and burned on the outside AGAIN!!! I'm confused. I know I followed the directions correctly, but it seems other people who commented managed to get it right. I do love Alton's recipies in general, but I can't seem to get this one correct and I'm not sure why. Oh well...............