VEGETARIAN ORANGE SURPRISE CAKES, egg/butter free, Vegan option

This one's a (relatively) healthy indulgence...

Orange Surprise Mini-Cakes, Vegetarian (No, not eggs on cakes!) 
'Amazing! I could eat lots of these' 'Really airy & fluffy.' 'The bit of fresh orange was lovely.' Tasters

These delicious little Orange Cakes are as light & moist as traditional cake but are vegetarian, free from butter & eggs.  

They were created after the success of the Vegan Irish Coffee Chocolate Sponge for St Patrick's Day.  The Orange Cakes were inspired by Loving it Vegan.

Instead of plant milk full of additives, 67 opted for organic skim milk for the cakes and developed a butter-free frosting.    

But feel free to use plant milk (untested by 67) in the cake and a dairy free margarine in the icing.

Cost: £3.25'ish (4/2024)
Makes: 16 mini-cakes

Equipment:  

silicone mini cupcake tin, holes 3/4inch/2cm deep
med cupcake liners






Ingredients:
   220gm/7oz plain flour
   200gm/7oz sugar
   1 tsp baking soda
   1/2 tsp salt

  220 ml organic semi-skimmed milk (or non-dairy milk)
    2 tbsp orange zest 
    1 tsp orange essence
    1 tsp vanilla 
   80 ml light veg oil
   15ml white vinegar

Icing:
   30gm/1oz strained yoghurt or non-dairy margarine
   200gm/7oz sifted icing sugar
   orange segments


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350
2. Line small cupcake tins with 18 med cupcake liners (they'll stand up over the rim of the mould)
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda & salt; stir well
4. In a separate container, mix milk, vanilla, orange essence, oil & vinegar
5. Form a large depression in the dry ingredients; pour in liquid
6. Using a hand-held whisk, draw in the ingredients along the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix thoroughly without overbeating 
7. Fill cupcake liners to just below the top (an ice-cream scoop helps); bake 18-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean
8. Cool; prepare icing 
9. Using a small paring knife with sharp tip, cut out a cone-shaped hole 
10. Fill with half an orange segment then cover with icing 

Icing

1. Remove segments from 1 orange (see below); cut each into halves 
2. Beat yoghurt & icing sugar until thick & soft but still holding its shape; add a bit more icing sugar if necessary 
3. Add orange essence, mix
4. Stuff the pointed end of the orange segment into the cone-shaped depression; push down to just below the top 
5. Using a piping bag or spoon, cover with thin layer of icing

Comments:
'I could eat lots of these in a row; they're not too rich and will please those who don't want too much sweetness but also those who love sugar.  It's rare that I wish I had the recipe but I do want to know how to make these.' 14 year old schoolboy
'Airy & fluffy; very more-ish.' Female Council candidate
'The fresh orange hidden in the middle was lovely.' Political Agent
'Absolutely great; really nice and light.' 20-something campaign manager

Tips:

• yoghurt adds tanginess to the icing which is usually offset by the orange essence and the oranges; a bit of maple syrup could make the icing more appealing to the very young
• 67 ran out of white flour and used about 25gms/1oz wholemeal flour which didn't seem to affect taste or texture

To peel oranges, slice off the top and bottom so that the orange sits nicely.  Slide a knife between the peel/pith and the flesh and press downwards, following the curve of the orange. 
Remove any bits of pith 

Slide a sharp knife between the membrane to the left of the segment and the flesh. Turn sharp edge of knife upwards between the flesh and the membrane to the right of the segment.   



   

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.