Ingredients
Orange Sponge (2 x 8-inch layers)
- 170 g plain flour
- 4 g baking powder 1 tsp
- 2 g bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp
- Pinch of salt
- 135 g unsalted butter softened
- 160 g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 120 g sour cream
- 8 ml vanilla extract 1½ tsp
- 25 ml fresh orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 95 ml milk
Orange Curd
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 200 g caster sugar
- 120 ml fresh orange juice
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp
- Zest of 2 oranges
- Pinch of salt
- 70 g unsalted butter
Orange Cream Cheese Mousse
- 400 ml double cream cold
- 250 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 200 g good-quality white chocolate
- 6 g powdered gelatine
- 30 ml cold water
- 100 g orange curd
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Bake the Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins.
- In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy (about 3–4 minutes).
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, orange juice, and orange zest.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins.
- Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Orange Curd
- In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, caster sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, and pinch of salt.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (around 8–10 minutes).
- Remove from the heat and pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to catch any cooked egg or coarse zest.
- Stir in the butter until fully melted and incorporated.
- Press a sheet of cling film directly against the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming, then chill completely in the fridge.
Make the Mousse
- Sprinkle the powdered gelatine over the 30ml cold water and leave for 5–10 minutes to bloom.
- Melt the white chocolate and leave to cool until just warm to the touch.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in 100g of the cooled orange curd and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
- Mix in the melted white chocolate.
- Gently heat the bloomed gelatine until fully dissolved (do not boil), then slowly whisk it into the cream cheese mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cold double cream to soft peaks.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in 2–3 additions until smooth and airy.
Assemble & Finish
- Place one sponge layer into the base of an 8-inch springform tin lined with an acetate collar.
- Spread half of the mousse evenly over the sponge.
- Place the second sponge layer on top and press down gently to level.
- Spread the remaining mousse evenly over the top sponge layer.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Spread a thin layer of the remaining orange curd across the top (around 100–150g gives a neat finish).
- Decorate with fresh orange zest and orange slices or twists, if desired.
