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Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

July 24, 2021 by Marisa 17 Comments

Italian Orange Cake with blueberries, is a wonderfully dense and moist cake baked in a rose shaped Bundt pan for a lovely sculpted look.

This Italian-style breakfast cake uses the juice and zest of fresh oranges with folded blueberries in the mix. It’s then brushed with an orange glaze and crowned with more sweet blueberries for a spectacular looking dessert!

You’ll find it perfect for Sunday brunches, potlucks and yet elegant enough for special occasions.

I happen to have a love affair with beautiful intricate shaped baking pans as seen in my previous recipe of this flavorful lemon-thyme cake baked in a loaf pan.

Regardless of how simple a cake recipe is, when baked in decorative pans, the end result is just so pleasing to the eye!

It needs nothing more than a light syrup or glaze. Or even at times unadorned, with a final dusting of powdered sugar to enhance the look of the cake.

In fact whenever I bake my lemon Ciambella or our family’s much sought after apple cake, that’s all it needs indeed!

However, at times it can be challenging to effortlessly release the cake from the intricately designed mould. So do ensure you have a good cake release product.

Here I used a baking spray from Wilton (not sponsored) which allowed me to release the cake effortlessly.

But know that there is a difference between cooking spray and baking spray. You’ll want a baking spray because these such sprays contain flour and adds that extra release protection we need in baking.

Another good alternative is to brush the inside of your pan with softened vegetable shortening or butter and then dust with flour. Use a kitchen brush if you have one, as this lets you get into those narrow crevices and hard to reach places.

So prep your Bundt pan and lets get baking!

Ingredients for a Bundt Cake with Blueberries

flour
sugar
eggs
vegetable oil
fresh orange juice and zest
milk
baking powder
salt
blueberries

How to Make an Italian Orange Cake

Here are a few things I prep ahead before mixing the wet ingredients!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then set this aside.
In a measuring cup, stir together the freshly squeezed orange juice and milk. And set aside.

Now we’re ready for the wet ingredients. You can use the bowl of a stand mixer or hand held mixer.

Step 1: First beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.

Step 2: Next, beat in the eggs one at a time and stir in the orange zest.

Switch your mixer on stir mode or low speed for the next step.

Step 4: Using your stand mixer or hand held mixer, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the juice and milk mixture. Make 3 additions of flour and 2 of juice and milk mixture.

Step 5: Fold in the 2 cups of blueberries.

TIP: Toss the blueberries with a bit flour while shaking off any excess. This helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the bowl.

6- Use a ladle to spoon the cake batter evenly around the prepared pan. Evenly spooning the cake batter into the pan will allow better distribution of the blueberries. Then smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.

7- Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180C) for approximately 50-55 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place the cake on a cooling rack.

Let cool for 20 minutes then loosen the edges of the cake and invert onto a serving platter.

And now you’re ready to glaze this pretty and delicious Italian orange cake. But first we have to make the glaze!

Simple Orange Glaze

Citrusy glazes are one of the easiest ways to enhance a cakes flavor. They’re quick, easy and ready in mere minutes!

Just follow the simple steps below.

Orange Glaze: Combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup of orange juice in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and boil a minute or so while stirring often.

You can also just as easily use the microwave on high for about 90 seconds. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t boil over. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and allow the glaze to cool a little.

Finally, brush the top and sides of the cake with the orange glaze.

TIP: Use a pastry brush to get into the crevices of the rose shaped bundt cake.

When you’re ready to serve the cake, fill the centre with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and top with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

You’ll find it easy to make, eye catching gorgeous and so delicious!

And if blueberries are not your jam then you might just enjoy a Pear and Honey Rosemary Bundt Cake. It’s exquisitely moist, made with a pear and rosemary compote.

Happy Baking!

This post was originally published on June 25, 2015 and republished July 24, 2021 with new photos and content.

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Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

An Italian orange cake recipe with blueberries. This Italian-style breakfast and rose shaped cake is incredibly moist and delicious. It makes a spectacular looking dessert for just about any occasion.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time55 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Orange Cake with Blueberries

Servings:

Calories: 385kcal

Equipment

Bundt Pan

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter

2½ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt I used fine sea salt
1/2 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 cups blueberries

Orange Glaze

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice freshly squeezed

Garnish

2 cups blueberries
Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

For The Cake

Grease and flour a 10 inch (3 litre) Bundt pan or an angel food pan and set aside
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and the salt. Set aside.
Stir together the milk and orange juice. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar until well combined.
Beat in the eggs one at a time till fully combined.
Stir in the orange zest.
With the mixer on stir mode, stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk and juice mixture, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of liquids.
Toss 2 cups of blueberries with some flour while shaking off any excess. (this helps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the pan.)
Fold in the floured blueberries into the cake batter.
Use a ladle to pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan in an even circular fashion. This will allow the blueberries to be evenly distributed.
Smooth out the top and give the pan a light tap on your counter to release any air pockets.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 50 to 55 minutes.
Test for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it comes out clean then it's ready.
When ready, remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.

Orange Glaze

Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining 1/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup of orange juice.
Heat in the microwave for about 1 ½ minutes while taking care it does not boil over and stir at 15 seconds intervals.
Loosen the cake around the edges of the pan and invert onto a serving platter.
Brush the cake with the orange glaze and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, fill the centre of the orange cake with the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and dust with powdered sugar.
Slice, serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

May 4, 2019 by Marisa 22 Comments

The absolute best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting…ever! Two carrot cakes are baked and assembled together with the most luscious cream cheese frosting to form a two layered cake.

I forgot how much I loved carrot cake until I revisited this recipe. It’s like seeing a long lost best friend and not being able to get enough.

Memories came flooding back on all the times I’ve baked this cake for Sunday family gatherings at mamma’s house.

It’s been a family favourite for a long while and just recently my sister requested the recipe. She raves about it all the time, claiming it’s “the best she’s ever tasted” !

I’m so glad to have found this recipe, type written…yikes, who even owns a typewriter anymore. It’s dog eared and slightly spattered with cake batter.

It truly attests to the shear amount of times I’ve baked this deliciously moist cake.

Much of its moistness comes from sweet bits of crushed pineapple which makes a lovely contrast to the finely ground walnuts and carrots speckled throughout the cake.

What Pans Can I Use to Bake Carrot Cake?

You can most certainly serve it in a more traditional way by baking it in a 9 x 13 inch pan, as I’ve always done.

However, do keep in mind you’ll need to bake it for 50 to 60 minutes. Or simply until a toothpick inserted in the middles comes out clean.

One batch of the cream cheese frosting will be enough for a 9 x 13 inch cake.

This time around, I decided to elevate it into a much more elegant 2 layered cake. Inspired by what is now being referred to as “naked cake” and I used 2, 9 inch round cake pans.

It’s a lovely way of making a cake with open layers.

This has the icing peeking through the outer edges, giving it a more exposed look. I find it gives the cake a pretty and enchanting appeal!

How to Decorate a Two Layered Carrot Cake

To achieve the frilly icing border, you’ll want to start piping at the inner edge of your cake, working your self inward.

Use an off set spatula to smooth the inside frosting while leaving the edges untouched.

I repeated the same with the top layer and piped a rosette in the middle of the cake.

I wanted to achieve the look of a naked cake but with a frilly border!

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

You can either use an electric mixer when beating your cream cheese frosting or a food processor with a 4 cup capacity.

Both methods work quite well but I do prefer my food processor as this gives me a wonderful smooth consistency in mere minutes.

I doubled the frosting amount for this 2 layered cake and used a 1M piping tip from Wilton to decorate the carrot cake.

You’ll have a little more than enough for the double layers so be as generous as you like!

This recipe was given to me by Raoul whom I’ve never met.

He was gracious enough to pass on this recipe through a mutual friend.

Raoul worked in our hospital cafeteria and had my colleagues and I running down every second Wednesday to get our carrot cake fix!

It’s that wonderful and you’ll want to make it over and over again!

And if your as much of a carrot cake lover as I am you’ll want to check out these Gluten Free Mini Carrot Loaves! It’s a slight variation on this 2 layered carrot cake. But minus the cream cheese.

Happy baking dear friends!

This recipe was originally published May 25, 2015 and republished May 4, 2019 with updated content and photos.

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5 from 3 votes

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A delicious 2 layered Carrot Cake with a luscious Cream Cheese Frosting that is simply perfect for birthdays, holidays or any other special occasion.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Carrot Cake, Cream cheese frosting

Servings:

Calories: 587kcal

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sunflower oil or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts finely chopped
14 ounce canned crushed pineapple well drained
2 cups grated carrots about 3 medium sized

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double this amount for a 2 layer cake)

3 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 pound butter
1/2 pound powdered sugar (icing sugar)

Instructions

Grease and flour 2, 9 inch round cake pans.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl whisk the oil, sugar and eggs together until combined and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Fold in the crushed pineapple, chopped walnuts and the grated carrots.. Do not over mix.
Divide evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Transfer the pans on a wire rack and let cool completely in the pans.
Carefully release the cakes from the pans when cooled and ready to frost.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (double the amount for a 2 layer cake)

In a large bowl combine the frosting ingredients together.
Starting on low speed and working your way to high, mix until the cream cheese frosting is smooth and creamy.

ASSEMBLING LAYERED CARROT CAKE

Carefully place one cake on a large serving platter.
To make the frilly icing border, use a piping bag inserted with a 1M piping tip.
Fill the piping bag with the frosting and start piping at the inner edge of your cake, working yourself inward.
With an off set spatula or the back of a large spoon, smooth the inside frosting and leave the edges untouched.
Top with the second layer of cake and repeat with more frosting.
Pipe a rosette on the top middle of cake and garnish with mint leaves.
Slice and enjoy with your favourite cup of coffee or tea.

Nutrition

Triple Chocolate Cookies

January 31, 2019 by Marisa 15 Comments

When it comes to decadent cookies these Triple Chocolate Cookies certainly fit the bill.

This post was originally published on February 4, 2015 and republished Jan 31, 2019 with updated photos and content.

They’re a trifecta of pure cocoa and chock full of both semisweet and white chocolate chunks as well as white chocolate chips.

The addition of instant coffee granules elevates these heavenly cookies with amazing mocha flavour!

You’ll find them soft and chewy with loads of gooey melted chocolate when bitten into…just the way I like my cookies.

These triple chocolate cookies are just about ready to hit the oven right after mixing the dough together. However, if you love and want more of that concentrated chocolate flavour, then do chill the dough overnight.

This cookie dough is a rather stiff dough to start off with. So, if you do chill the dough overnight then simply remember to allow the dough to sit at room temperature for about an hour or two. This will make it easier to scoop out and bake.

A good old tablespoon is enough to scoop up chunks of cookie dough for baking. However, if you have a small ice-cream scoop of about 1 and a half inch to 2 inches, this would work even better. It allows you to swoop in and scoop and releases the cookie dough without much effort.

You’ll probably get a good 3 dozen medium size cookies…give or take a few!

However you can make them larger if you wish.

Simply remember to adjust the baking time accordingly for bigger cookies.

Tips for making soft triple chocolate cookies

A useful tip to chewy gooey cookies, is not to over bake them.

For cookies with soft and chewy centres, bake them for about 8 minutes. They’ll be very fragile when removed from the oven so allow them to cool in the baking pan placed over a cooling rack.

If you like them crispier around the edges then simply bake them for 10 to 12 minutes.

If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!

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Triple Chocolate Cookies

Triple chocolate cookies, chock full of both semi-sweet and white chocolate chunks and semi-sweet chocolate chips. A heavenly decadent cookie.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate, Cookie, Triple chocolate, Soft and chewy

Servings:

Author: Marisa

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
3/8 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup chopped white chocolate

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375*
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium size bowl combine the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, coffee, salt and set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and both the sugars together. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix till blended. Mix in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips, chopped semi-sweet chocolate and chopped white chocolate.
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, form balls into large walnut size chunks of dough. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, they should look just barely set with a shiny sheen. Remove from oven and let cool 15 mins.

Notes

This recipe was adapted from The Best of Better Baking by Marcy Goldman. One of my favourite cookbooks, with lots of insightful information to turn anyone into a better baker.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

March 1, 2015 by Marisa 9 Comments

A colleague of mine started a new tradition at work. Rather than collecting money for a birthday cake on someone’s special day, the “birthday person” gets to bring a cake or treat. Since baking is right up my alley, it works just fine for me. The difficult part was in deciding what to bake! I have no qualms in baking my own cake, I have even ordered my own birthday cake on one occasion…but that’s another story!

I love Red Velvet Cake!!! Rather than baking a whole cake I decided on mini red velvet cupcakes topped with my favorite buttercream icing. It is my birthday after all! But enough about me. Let me say, these cupcakes were a hit! With a deep rich red color and tender texture…simply irresistible!!!

The addition of vinegar to the batter boosts the red coloring. I promise you won’t even know its’ there.

The recipe calls for 1 cup of buttermilk, but if your like me and almost never have it in the fridge, here is a simple substitution. Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a measuring cup and pour in enough milk to make 1 cup. Stir and let stand for about 10 minutes and use as buttermilk.

Cupcakes

1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup red food coloring
2 tbls dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbl white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Place 26 small parchment baking cups, divided on 2 baking sheets. You can also use standard muffin pans, in this case you will need a 12 cup pan and a 6 cup pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or lined with cupcake liners.

For the cupcakes: In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, vanilla and set it aside.

In a large bowl mix the butter, sugar and the salt on medium-high speed just until it is light in color and looks creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer you will need to scrape down the bowl about half way through. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

In another small bowl, combine the food coloring and the cocoa together, stir to form a paste. Beat the paste into the butter-sugar mix until combined.

Next, start adding the flour and the buttermilk mixture in tree batches by starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes.

Stir together the baking soda and the vinegar in a small bowl. Let it stand until it starts to foam then fold into the batter. Divide the batter among the baking cups.

For best results, bake one pan at a time for about 18 to 23 minutes. Because I used smaller baking cups, I found 18 minutes was sufficient. If you are using standard baking cups you may need to bake them a little bit longer. Use the 18 to 23 minutes as a guide line. When the cupcakes spring back when gently touched, you’ll know they are ready. You can also insert a toothpick in the middle of the cupcake, if it comes out clean then it is ready. Cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

4 cups icing sugar, sifted (also known as confectioner’s sugar)

2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/4 cup whole milk

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Beat the icing sugar and butter together on medium-low speed until well mixed.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla extract. Add it to the butter-sugar mixture a bit at a time, beating on low speed until incorporated. Then turn the mixer to high speed and continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy for at least 5 minutes. The longer you beat the frosting, the lighter and fluffier it becomes.

Frost the cupcakes with the Vanilla buttercream using any technique you prefer. I used a pastry bag fitted with a large pastry tip, the 1M from Wilton to form the rosette on top.

Yields 18 standard cupcakes or 26 mini cupcakes.

The Cupcake recipe was adapted from The Sono Baking Company Cookbook.