Gâteau à l’Orange

Julia Child’s orange cake recipe with a 1960s twist: marshmallow fluff frosting.

Gâteau à l’Orange
makes a 9” cake

shopping list —

Julia Child’s Orange Sponge Cake Recipe
(Mastering the Art of French Cooking, page 671)

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

• 4 egg yolks

• orange zest of 1 orange

• 1/3 cup orange juice, strained

• pinch of salt

• 3/4 cup cake flour

• 4 egg whites

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar

• pinch of salt

for the marshmallow crème

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

• 7 oz jar of marshmallow fluff

equipment —

• 9” cake pan

• kitchen aid mixer

• mixing bowl

• whisk or rubber spatula

• wire rack

steps —

for the spongecake*

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Butter and flour the cake pan.

3. Beat the sugar into the egg yolks and continue beating until the mixture thickens to form ribbons.

4. Add the orange zest, orange juice, and salt. Beat for a moment or two until the mixture is light and foamy, then add the flour.

5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt together until soft peaks are formed. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat to stiff peaks.

6. Stir in a fourth of the egg whites into the batter, and delicately fold in the rest.

7. Immediately turn into the cake pan and even out the batter. Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when it has puffed, browned, and pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan.

8. Allow to cool for 6-8 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a rack.

for the marshmallow crème

1. In a kitchen aid mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese and the marshmallow fluff until combined. Add a pinch of salt.

2. Frost the top of the cooled cake with the marshmallow crème. Garnish with candied oranges, dried orange slices, or orange zest.

*Any edits made to Julia Child’s directions are for clarity and simplicity.