Buttery Orange Cake and a Looooonnnng Break

I know it has been months and months since I posted. If I am to be totally honest my blogging mojo has kind of waned a bit. I have still been baking and even taking photos but when it comes to sitting down and actually focusing on blogging about it I just haven't had the motivation or desire to do so. So I figure that maybe I have to change tack and aim to still blog but do so less frequently? Who knows? All good intentions maybe? It doesn't help that life seems so busy...I think that is the working mothers cry internationally. I'm lucky I have a much older son who, at 16 years old, is pretty independent, but my 9 year old is still dependent and as he dances 3-4 times a week as well as ballet competitions etc etc our lives are pretty much taken up with all of that. 

Anyway I whipped this cake up for work on Waitangi Day for those of us working on a public holiday while the rest of NZ enjoyed the sunny day, which explains the paper towel and very average photos...taken on my phone before it all disappeared. However this cake was anything but average. I loved the texture and the flavour. I didn't glaze it like the recipe said and instead iced with some orange cream cheese icing to use up half of a container of cream cheese before it expired. 

Buttery Orange Cake

250g unsalted butter, softened

2 Tbsp orange rind
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 c plain flour
¾ cup (180ml) orange juice 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to moderate (170°C/150°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 23cm round cake pan, line base with baking paper (I used a 20cm square tin).

Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between additions. Fold in sifted flour and orange juice in 2 batches. 

Bake about an hour.