Orange Butter Cake

Dad used to pester Mum and I to make this cake when I was little. So rich in butter and zesty with an orange twang! Mum used to make them in a square tin and I remember fighting with my siblings for the corners! Yummy! I think the original recipe has an icing but I like mine without any. Great with a cuppa coffee!

250g soft butter
rind of 1 large orange
4 eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 cups self-rasing flour sifted
pinch of salt
juice of 1 large orange

Preheat oven to 180 deg Celsius. Cream butter with orange zest until very smooth and gradually beat in sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat eggs in a separate bowl until well blended and gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Beat thoroughly in between each egg to avoid curdling. Sift flour with salt and using a metal spoon, fold flour into creamed mixture alternating with orange juice. Turn mixture into a greased and lightly floured tin. Bake in oven for 45mins. Use a wooden skewer to check if the cake has been cooked through. If the skewer comes out clean, or with dry-ish crumbs on them, it is done! :) Stand the cake for 5 minutes in the tin and turn it out to cool.

Light Tiramisu Recipe (Cheat's version)

This is by far the most favoured dessert recipe I have stumbled upon in my years of flipping through cheap supermarket monthly cookbooks. I've made them for many parties at home and to bring to parties. It is so very easy to make. Make them overnight for the flavours to really kick in! The alcohol and coffee make it a great party favourite! Once I read the recipe wrongly and used twice the amount of alcohol. Everyone who had some definitely were a happy bunch after their second slice! :)


1 cup brewed coffee (I use instant Moccona coffee)
1/2 cup Kahlua or Tia Maria
250g sponge fingers
500g light cream cheese (I use Philadelphia Light)
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup low fat prepared custard
1/2 cup reduced fat cream
1/2 tsp chocolate drinking powder


Beat cream cheese, sugar and 1/4 cup kahlua together until well combined. Fold in custard and cream. Set aside. Combine coffee and 1/4 cup kahlua in bowl. Dip 1/3 of sponge fingers into coffee mixture and arrange into the bottom of a dish. Spread 1/3 of cream cheese mixture on top of sponge fingers. Repeat Step 3 twice to create 3 layers of sponge topping off with the cream mixture last. Dust with chocolate powder and refridgerate overnight.

Delicious!! :)