Microwave Oranges To Give Coffee Cake A Robust Citrus Flavor

Oftentimes, recipes with orange flavoring infuse the orange by using the zest, or maybe by utilizing orange juice. But Tasting Table's recipe for cinnamon orange coffee cake takes a different approach: microwaving the oranges. You're probably curious about how this works — well, microwaving the fruit is only the first step. 

Essentially, by microwaving the oranges, you soften them up enough so that they can easily be pulsed in a food processor. After they've gone through the processor, the orange pieces are small and fine enough to be mixed directly into the cake batter. (You can refer to the Tasting Table recipe for a more detailed step-by-step guide on this process). 

By utilizing whole orange pieces, the end result is a coffee cake with a fully robust citrus flavor — whereas, with other methods, the orange might be more of a subtle undertone in the overall flavor profile. The zesty nature of the orange is perfect for brightening up the richness of the coffee cake. You'll wonder why you ever made orange-flavored desserts any other way.

If you tried the cinnamon orange coffee cake and loved the robust burst of orange flavor, then you may want to try out the microwaving method on other orange-flavored desserts. You can basically take any dessert that calls for orange zest and replace the amount of zest with the same amount of pulsed orange pieces. For example, Tasting Table has a recipe for a chocolate orange tart that gets its orange flavor from orange zest, as well as orange-flavored chocolate. 

To get a stronger orange taste, use the pulsed orange pieces instead of the zest. Combined with the orange chocolate, you'll have no shortage of citrusy flavor. If you think that the orange flavor might be too strong, you can always replace half of the chocolate called for in the recipe with unflavored chocolate. So, next time you're in the mood for orange cake, orange cookies, or an orange tart, bring out the food processor and start experimenting with using pulsed orange pieces to ensure that you get that strong, delicious sweet and sour citrus flavor.