We planted an orange tree a few months ago and the fruit were ripe and ready to be picked. The idea for this orange tea cake came from our just picked orange harvest.

This tea cake is with made with fresh orange juice and freshly grated orange zest, add a pinch of cardamom and you have a delicious orange cardamom tea cake.

Orange Cardamom Tea Cake:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup softened butter, plus about 1 tsp softened butter for pan
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tbsp fresh grated orange zest
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 orange – for 1 tbsp orange zest, 1 tbsp orange juice for icing and juice for cake.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8-inch square pan, line bottom with parchment paper and butter it. Flour inside of pan, tapping excess out.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom and ginger.
• In a large bowl whisk together 1/4-cup butter, canola oil, orange juice, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.  Combine the liquid mixture with the flour mixture. Add grated carrots and orange zest and mix-in.
• Pour the cake batter in the buttered pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once cake is done, let cool for 10 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edges then turn out the cake onto a plate. Let the cake cool for 1 1/2 hours before serving.

• Make an orange icing to drizzle on top of the cake. To make the icing whisk 3/4-cup powdered sugar with 2 tsp orange liqueur and 1 tsp orange juice. Drizzle over cake and serve dusted with powdered sugar.