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Orange Cream Cheese Mousse Cake

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Prep Time 7 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 1 8-inch cake
Course: Dessert

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