Vegan orange cake

I have baked many things since I began this blog, but a lot of the recipes have been with hard-to-get fruits or unusual combinations. I have not made many of the standard bakes, like a sponge cake, with normal flavours like orange and lemon. So I decided it's about time I do so, starting with this delicious and oh-so-simple orange cake. Give it a go :D

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup sugar (I reduced this to 3/4)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of a large orange
Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a 8 inch cake tin with grease proof paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk the juice, oil, vinegar, vanilla and orange zest until bubbly. Pour into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined. 
4. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cake tin and cooling completely in a wire rack. Very orange-y, yum!

Original recipe: Vegan orange cake

Vegan mango cake or cupcakes

Mango mania! I discovered the recipe for this cake a while ago but somehow never got round to baking it. This week I asked my mum to buy a couple of tins of mango puree and oh my god the cake was simply divine! Why oh why did I wait so long to bake it? It was devoured within a couple of day so of course I had to make more, but the second time round I made cupcakes instead. They of course turned out just as yummy, as I'm sure the other students on my will attest to. I took some cupcakes with me to celebrate the last day of our last attachment ever earlier this week :D

Makes 1 cake (8-12 slices) or 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 1/2 cups mango puree (you can use fresh mangoes, it takes 4-5, or use tinned mango puree like I did)
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar (double if using fresh mangoes - the tinned mango is sweetened)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line a 8 inch cake tin with grease proof paper. If you want to make cupcakes instead, line a muffin tin with cupcake cups.
2. In a bowl sift the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the cardamom and mix until blended.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together the mango, oil, sugar and vanilla. Slowly add the flour a little at a time and stir until just combined.
4. To make a cake pour the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin. To make cupcakes divide the batter into the 12 cupcake cups and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or cold, yummy either way!

Original recipe: Eggless mango cake