Orange Butterfly Cakes

Makes about 12

Ingredients

For the cakes:

6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 oz (110 g) butter (at room temperature)
4 oz (110 g) caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 dessertspoon orange juice
grated rind of 1 orange

For the curd filling:

finely grated rind and juice of 1 small orange
juice of ½ lemon
1½ oz (40 g)caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 oz (50 g) unsalted butter

To serve:

icing sugar, for dusting

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 5, 375°F (190°C).

You will also need a greased patty tin and paper baking cases.

 

Start by making the filling. Put the first four ingredients for the curd in a bowl and whisk together. Then add the butter, cut into lumps, and fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Now take a wooden spoon and stir continuously until the curd thickens - about 10 minutes. Then remove the bowl and leave the curd to get quite cold. To make the cakes combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and beat until absolutely smooth - 1-2 minutes. Then drop an equal quantity of the mixture into the paper cases. Tap the tin two or three times to settle the cake mix, then bake on the shelf just above the centre for 15-20 minutes or until the cakes are well risen and golden. Then remove them to a wire rack and leave to cool.

Then angle a small sharp knife and cut to within about ½ inch (1 cm) of the edge of the cake to remove a cone-shaped round, leaving a cavity in the centre. Cut the round in half and set aside. Now fill the centre of each cake with the curd and return the two pieces of cake to sit on top like butterfly wings. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith's Book of Cakes.

Photograph: Miles New.

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