Orange Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

A deliciously light and very tasty orange and strawberry cake.

The pleasure and satisfaction I get from baking is immeasurable. I have to say, the feeling you get after baking a recipe you really want to try and taking that first delicious bite, knowing that you made it, is just plain awesome.

This cake is one of my favourites, it is simple, light, delicious and easy to make.

A perfect starter cake for those who are apprehensive to baking. Thank you! – Monika Tjota

I felt this cake is a perfect way to introduce myself to you and share my passion for great great food and delicious desserts.

It's a perfect dessert combining the lightness of vanilla sponge cake with the tanginess of orange and the freshness of strawberry. It is a treat that everyone will drool over after the first bite.

Orange Strawberry Shortcake

This Orange Strawberry Shortcake consists of three layers of orange cake infused with orange juice to keep the cake moist and flavourful. It is filled with fresh orange whipped cream and strawberry reserves that cushions plump fresh strawberries slices, a perfect Summer dessert. Finally, it is topped with fresh orange and strawberry slices.

A few tips to keep in mind

First of all start by picking and measuring all your ingredients and lay them out together on a clean counter.

Once you start mixing do not stop or allow your batter to rest at any stage, this will affect the outcome of your cake. Make sure your ingredients are fresh and you are ready to go.

Just as much as the presentation of a cake is important, the taste is really imperative. Why not create a cake that is not only visually stimulating but more importantly mouth-watering and delicious, tempting you to take that extra little slice?

The key component of a cake is taste.

In my experience many people have told me that they do not like cakes that are overwhelming sweet. As a result I strive to create a cake with a combination of fresh ingredients that when combined yields a silky, smooth mélange of flavours with just the right touch of sweetness.

Enjoy this delicious summer treat. Tell me how this recipe worked for you, I am excited to hear how it turns out.

Preparation Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Three parts to an Orange Strawberry Shortcake

• The orange cake

• The frosting

• The cake assembly

The Orange Cake

You can make the cake layers ahead of time and assemble the cake the day before but top with fruit the day it is served.

Ingredients to make the orange cake:

• ¾ cup butter (170g) (room temperature)

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)

• 4 eggs

• 2 ½ cups flour (310g)

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup oil (60ml)

• ¾ cup buttermilk (175ml)

• ⅓ cup sour cream (80ml)

• ⅓ cup concentrated orange juice (80ml) (thawed)

• 1/4 cup concentrated orange juice (60ml) (thawed and reserved for brushing the 3 cakes)

I use frozen orange juice from concentrate because the flavour is stronger, however, you can substitute with freshly squeezed or regular orange juice.

How to make the orange cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F

2. Line 3 - 8” pans with parchment paper or grease and flour them

3. In a mixing bowl whip the butter on medium until light and fluffy (about 2 mins in a KitchenAid mixer or hand beater)

4. Slowly incorporate the sugar, beat on medium for 4 mins and scrape the bowl

5. Slowly add the eggs one at a time, then beat on medium for 4 mins

6. Sift together in a separate bowl, the flour, baking powder and salt

7. Mix together in another bowl the buttermilk, sour cream and orange juice

8. On the lowest speed, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl followed by the oil and scrape the bowl

9. Alternate the rest of the dry ingredients with the liquid ingredients until just combined, ending with the dry ingredients (1 min)

10. Divide the batter into 3 - 8” pans and tap them to remove excess air

11. Place them into the oven and bake for 25-28 mins until a tester comes out clean

12. Allow the cake layers to cool on a rack for 15 mins then using a pastry brush, brush them with about 1/4 cup of orange juice. Apply it ½ inch from the edges of the cake so that the juice does not run down the sides.

Storage Tip:

I brush my cakes when they are warm (the cakes absorb the juice best when warm) then I wrap them with cling wrap twice and place into a ziploc bag twice. Finally I place them into the freezer until I am ready to assemble the cake.

The Frosting

Make the frosting only when you are ready to assemble the cake for best results.

Ingredients to make the cake frosting:

• 1 litre of cold fresh whipping cream (only 35%)

• 1 box of vanilla pudding

• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice (optional)

How to make the cake frosting:

1. Chill the metal mixing bowl and the beaters for 15-20 mins prior to beating

2. Place the cream and one box of pudding in the mixing bowl and using a whisk attachment beat the cream until it becomes stiff peaks. Careful not to overbeat. Another option is to use a blender or food processor to whip the cream, do not leave it unattended. Watch it until it is complete. If you are using a blender make only half a batch at a time, you may have to stir a couple times and blend again until it becomes firm. Do not allow it to become grainy.

Storage Tip:

I store the frosting in a bowl covered with cling wrap and place into the fridge immediately until I am ready to assemble the cake (which is on the same day).

The Cake Assembly

You've made the orange cake, and the frosting. Now it's time to put the cake together for a final assembly.

Ingredients for the cake assembly:

• 1 pint of fresh strawberries

• ½ cup seedless strawberry jam

• Freshly made frosting

How to Assemble the Cake:

1. Place a dollop of frosting on your board or cake plate and place your first layer

2. Place ¾ cup of cream on the cake and spread evenly toward the edges

3. Add 3-4 teaspoons of strawberry jam according to your taste and swirl into the cream

4. Add chopped strawberries on top the cream( about 4-6 strawberries)

5. Drop 5-6 small spoons of cream on top to stick the next layer

6. Place the second layer of cake and repeat until complete

7. Use the remaining cream to coat the top and sides of the cake with a knife or metal spatula

8. Using the tip of a silver teaspoon, with the curved side touching the cake, run it alongside the base, forming a ring pressing gently into the cake. You can wipe the excess cream off the spoon

9. Continue making rings one at a time until you reach the top.

10. For the top: starting from the rim of the cake, form a continuous circle with the tip of the teaspoon in the same fashion until you reach the middle

11. Using a 1M star tip and a piping bag, pipe stars around the base of the cake

Time to Serve the Cake

The fascinating thing about cake is that you can personalize the presentation to your liking.

1. Add the fruit on the day of serving.

2. Cut about 4-6 strawberries depending on the size in slices.

3. Cut 3 slices of orange. Dry the orange slices on a paper-towel to prevent the juices from seeping on top of the cake. Cut one opening in each orange slice and twirl it on top of the cake, 2 slices on top and one on the side.

4. Drop a few small drops of the cream along the middle of the cake in between the orange slices

5. Place the strawberry slices on the drops of cream to complete the design.

Storage Tips:

1. I store the assembled cake in a cake dome with locks on the side to keep it as airtight as possible and keep in the refrigerator since the cream is perishable.

2. I remove the cake an hour before serving to thaw the cake a little.

3. Once the cake is cut, I place cling wrap on any exposed surface to keep the cake from drying out, then refrigerate.

I hope you enjoyed this blog. If you try it out, let me know how it worked for you. My hope is you enjoy it as much as I do making it for my family and friends. If you want to see more recipes, please subscribe to my blog by entering your email into the Subscribe box to receive an email when I post a new recipe.

Buy a Freshly Baked Orange Strawberry Shortcake

For those looking to have this Orange Strawberry Shortcake made by me, I am taking online orders for a limited order quantity.

Orange Strawberry Shortcake - 6"or 8" round cake

Buy Now

Send me a message at sweetandtastyeats@gmail.com about your requirements and expected completion date.