Portuguese orange cake?

[QuimReaper]

When I was in Portugal with DH a few years ago we found a cafe that did the most utterly incredible orange cake I've ever had. It was so moist and juicy that there was literally orange juice leaking out. We went back every single day and I still think about it.

I don't know if it was a Portuguese thing or a regional thing or even just specific to that place (there were orange trees everywhere, the things were lining the streets). I wanted to reproduce it at home but I wondered if there are any Portuguese / worldly MNers who know what it was / could give me a push in the right direction / any tips?

I must stress that this wasn't any old orange sponge, it was dripping with juice, but served in a square on a plate (so definitely a cake, not a dessert).

TIA!

I've just googles Portuguese orange cake...as it sounds delicious...and loads of recipes come up

Googled.....

I found this on a Portugese cookery site - was this the sort of thing you wanted?
portuguesediner.com/tiamaria/bolo-de-laranja/

Oh god. Portuguese orange cake is delicious.

I think the secret is honey and fresh oranges. And sunshine.

Lunde that just doesn't look as wet as the one I had.

ememem you know the one I mean?! I was pretty sure there was honey in it too, but I wasn't sure if it was some other kind of syrupy substance. Might need to just experiment!

quim oh I know the one you mean. Where I am (jersey) we have a massive portuguese community and a lot of Portuguese bakeries. Orange cake is my fave. Along with honey cake. And egg custard tarts....

I think - having never made one myself- that a lot of portuguese cakes are made with oil not butter which makes them super moist.

Although I've found this recipe which looks like one I've had before cookpad.com/us/recipes/338778-portuguese-orange-cake-with-syrup

Ah, that looks promising! I wish there were more photographs though!

Funnily enough I may have found success in the Guardian of all places, with a feature on [[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2017/feb/02/how-to-cook-the-perfect-sticky-orange-cake "sticky orange cake"] ... Nothing to do with Portugal but I started to find recipes for "orange and olive oil cake" which led me here!

Oops, messed that up - link

Oh for heaven's sake. I've just got madly excited because I actually tracked down the website of the cafe we found the cakes in, and they have all of their products photographed and named but not the sodding orange cake! I thought I'd found it but it turned out to be an almond cake.

Gaa!

...now I want to either go to portuguese bakery or get baking.

This looks a bit like it! From a Greek Pinterest profilee so I can't really tell what's going on, but gives you an idea of the gooiness.

(I'm aware I'm talking to myself here btw )

I may have just persuaded dh to go for coffee and cake at portuguese bakery

food52.com/recipes/24960-revani-syrup-soaked-semolina-cake

This is the greek cake

Thanks Chardonnay - that looks like a diabetic coma waiting to happen!

Nah, it has orange juice in, do it must be healthy.

This was our big treat when we were growing up. We had a Portuguese au pair. I have wowed people with that cake my whole life! And now I find there are recipes on the interwebs and I have no more claim to fame!!! Aaaaaargh

It'll have to be "Home on the Range" with word transposed one syllable forward, then. Bleah.

I'm half Portuguese and my mum makes a yoghurt cake with orange syrup, it's very easy to make and very delicious but not quite as moist as the one you've described. Think it could be the one in this video, it's in Portuguese but very easy to follow, and let me know if you need anything translating!

Google Claudia Roden's Boiled Orange Cake. It is a taste (and smell!) of heaven. If you want it extra syrupy, make a syrup by boiling water and sugar together, let it cook a little and then add freshly squeezed orange juice, then pour it over the hot cake while it is still in the tin.