Gluten Free Orange Cake

Oh my goodness! Orange fans, you are going to love me. Who knew a birthday request from my mom would turn into the yummiest cake ever!? This year, for my mom's birthday, she was craving ORANGE cake with orange frosting! Wish granted! 

(If you recall, my mom hearts the orange. For Christmas this year I made her Gluten Free Orange Rolls...YUM! You should check them out if you're an orange-lover like us.)

My mom and I joined forces creating this one and we were sooooo excited with the end result! Seriously amazing. Even my dad, who does not care much for orange, loved it! 

(Psst- I am so not a cake decorator! So don't judge this cake by it's cover. Hopefully you're a better cake decorator than I am!)

Gluten Free Orange Cake

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene and her mom alene

Makes twp 9" round cakes
Ingredients: 

• 2 & 1/2 cups sweet white rice flour (you can grind your own from Calrose Rice)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 cups sugar or evaporated cane juice sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk (or milk sub)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp orange zest
  

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Oil and rice flour dust 2 round 9 inch cake pans. (I typically use coconut oil to oil my pans.) Set aside. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: rice flour, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Set aside. 
   
3. In a mixing bowl combine the sugar and eggs. Beat together for 1 minute. Then, while mixing on low, add the milk, vanilla, orange extract, and oil. 
4. Then, add in the dry ingredients. Mix until combined, scraping the sides when necessary. Fold in the orange zest. 
5. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pans evenly. Bake for at least 30-35 minutes or until the top is starting to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Also, the cake should bounce back up when slightly touched. 
6. After removing the cake from the oven, allow it to rest in the pans for at least 5 minutes. Then transfer cake onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. 
7. While the cake cools, make your frosting. I suggest using my Orange Buttercream Frosting. It is gluten free and can also be made dairy free. 

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