Zesty Orange Crumb Cake with Sifted Durum Flour

Sifted Durum Flour lends this crumb cake a beautiful yellow hue and a warm crunch. It pairs well with the orange zest and makes for a wonderful winter cake snack alongside a cup of tea. Serving the cake with whipped cream is not necessary, but a very fine idea.

Recipe and photos by Esther Seha. Esther is a Chicago based activist educator and artistic baker. Find her on Instagram @baker.maker.shaker and at www.cakeandconversation.com . 

Yield: 1 9" cake

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING

• ½ cup (100g) Sifted Durum Flour
• ¼ cup (50g) butter, cold
• ¼ cup (50g) sugar
• pinch of salt

FOR THE CAKE

• ½ cup (70g) Frederick Cake Flour
• ½ cup (100g) Sifted Durum Flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• ⁷/₈ cup (175g) sugar
• 4 tablespoons (60g) butter, melted
• ¼ cup (70g) yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons orange zest

Instructions

1. Line bottom of springform pan with parchment paper and butter and flour it. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To make crumb topping, combine sifted durum flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add pieces of butter and combine ingredients with your hands until they come together into crumbs. Refrigerate crumb topping while making the cake.
3. To make the cake, combine sifted durum flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream sugar and eggs until pale, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter, yogurt, vanilla, and orange zest. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and mix only until it disappears.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth out top. Sprinkle crumb topping over cake. You can squeeze some crumbs into bigger chunks if desired.
5. Bake cake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes. Cool cake to room temperature before cutting.