Moroccan cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Meskouta (Orange Cake)

Moist sponge cake with fresh orange juice and zest, baked with oil instead of butter and dusted with powdered sugar.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 3 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 150 ml oil
• 200 ml orange juice
• 1 organic orange
• 300 g flour
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease a 30 cm loaf pan and dust with flour; wash the organic orange in hot water and finely grate the zest.
2. Beat the eggs with the sugar and salt for 4–5 min. until pale and thickly foamy – the volume should visibly double.
3. Pour in the oil in a thin stream, then briefly stir in the orange juice and orange zest.
4. Mix the flour with the baking powder, sift over the mixture and fold in only until no more flour is visible – do not stir longer, or the cake will turn tough.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40–45 min.; a skewer inserted should come out with no more wet batter clinging to it.
6. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 min., turn it out, let it cool completely and dust with powdered sugar only just before serving.