Orange-almond cake

I keep recipe binders for loose recipes I cut out from magazines, print from the Internet, or (horrors) wrote out by hand long ago before we had a printer/copier. I have one recipe in the last category for orange yogurt cake, which I think I got from a now-defunct website in, like, 2007, and next to it I simply wrote "Yum." That had been annoying me (I try to make reasonably detailed notes on everything I make), and since it looked like it had potential, I thought I'd try it last night. It came out great, and since (for once) this is not a Cook's Illustrated recipe, I can actually post it here. For a cake this one has an unusually open crumb, is moist, and comes out fluffy though it looks like a scant amount of batter going into the oven. It also takes about the amount of time to mix together as the oven takes to preheat.

I was going to go the healthy route and just sprinkle some confectioners' sugar on top, but the urge to make a buttercream overcame me. I took a cue from a CI white layer cake recipe in which they spread a little bit of seedless jam over the bottom layer, then top that with frosting mixed with sliced almonds. I tried that with orange marmalade (I like imported Italian kinds without corn syrup) and Trader Joe's sliced raw almonds, which are about the only nuts I keep on hand at all times. It worked really well.

In this photo you can see that I didn't have enough icing: I hate cakes with three inches of icing on them so I often adjust recipes down. This time 3/4 of the original amount would have been better than halving it. The recipe below should be the right amount.

Orange-Almond Cake
Yield: one 9" cake, sliced in half horizonally for two layers
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. grated orange zest
pinch of salt
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly spray a 9" nonstick cake pan with Baker's Joy (or butter and flour it). Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, and salt in small bowl. In a larger bowl whisk together the yogurt, sugar, oil, orange juice, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir just til incorporated. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, fragrant, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on trivet for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto wire rack and let cool completely. Once cool, slice in half horizontally with a large bread knife. (It's best if you make a shallow line all the way around the cake as a guide, then dig your knife in and slowly rotate the cake stand as you go.)

Frosting and filling:
12 Tbsp. butter, soft but still cool (65º is ideal)
3 cups (3/4 lb) powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp. milk
dash of salt
about 1/2 cup orange marmalade, at room temperature
about 1/2 cup sliced raw almonds, plus more for garnish if desired

Beat the first five ingredients on low speed until sugar is moistened. Increase speed to medium-high; beat til creamy and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes (for a stand mixer). Remove half the frosting to a small bowl and mix in the almonds.

Set the bottom cake layer on your stand. Spread a thin layer of marmalade across the top (you may need more, I didn't measure). Spread the frosting with almonds evenly across the marmalade layer. Set the top cake layer down, then use remainder of frosting on the top and sides. Press almonds on top and sides if desired.

Frosted, this cake should be covered and kept in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.*

*I have read, and now know by experience, that cakes made with a lot of butter end up tasting quite dry if they have to be refrigerated, unless you bring them thoroughly back to room temperature before serving. So it's not quite as important with this butter-less cake, but I think it tastes better all the same.