It has been a very quiet Chinese New Year. I spent most of it at home, baking. It was wonderful!
I experimented on a few recipes that I had been meaning to test for a while. Some turned out great, while others failed. Among those that passed was this recipe for an Orange Butter Cake. I tweaked Mrs Ng Sk’s famous butter cake recipe again and came up with what I think is a winner.
If, by now, you don’t know how crazy I am about butter cakes, you must have been living on another planet. Or, you haven’t been reading my blog.
But if you have been reading my ramblings, you will definitely know I am totally heads over heels in love with Mrs Ng SK’s butter cake recipe. It is the most fragrant and the most delicious butter cake I have ever tasted. I loved it so much that I made other versions like this chocolate one, this marbled one, and this walnut one. All were good!
If you are a fan of oranges, you will love this version – it is made using fresh orange juice, orange zest as well as orange extract. You cannot get more orange-y than this!
And let me show you how I made the orange version.
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and mix until each is completely incorporated before adding the next.
Add the orange zest and orange extract and mix to combine.
To this, add the flour and orange juice in the sequence flour-juice-flour-juice-flour, mixing until the flour has just been incorporated.
Set this aside.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
Gradually, add caster sugar, all the while whisking, until stiff peaks form.
Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
Gently fold the remaining meringue into the yolk mixture in 2 batches, until no white streaks remain.
Transfer the batter into a lined and lightly greased 8-inch round baking pan. Smooth the top as best as you can.
Bake the cake at 170°C for 35-40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly. Once baked, cool the cake in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
ON-GOING WORKSHOPS
Date: Saturday 21 January 2017 (2 PLACES LEFT)
Workshop: Hands-on Butter Cookies, Salted Egg Yolks Cookies and Pineapple Tarts Workshop
Time: 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Friday 10 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Bread Loaves and Buns Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 18 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Bread Loaves and Buns Workshop
Time: 2.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 9 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Chiffon Cakes Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE
Date: Saturday 18 February 2017
Workshop: Hands-on Chiffon Cakes Workshop
Time: 9.00am – 12.00pm
Venue: The Eureka Cooking Lab
Tickets Link > CLICK HERE


- 250g Salted Butter, room temperature
- 4 egg yolks
- 100g caster sugar
- 180g self-raising flour, sifted
- 60ml freshly squeezed orange juice
- zest of 1 orange
- 1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
- 4 egg whites
- 50g caster sugar
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and mix until each is completely incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the orange zest and orange extract and mix to combine.
- To this, add the flour and orange juice in the sequence flour-juice-flour-juice-flour, mixing until the flour has just been incorporated. Set this aside.
- In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
- Gradually, add caster sugar, all the while whisking, until stiff peaks form.
- Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture.
- Gently fold the remaining meringue into the yolk mixture in 2 batches, until no white streaks remain.
- Transfer the batter into a lined and lightly greased 8-inch round baking pan. Smooth the top as best as you can.
- Bake the cake at 170°C for 35-40 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly. Once baked, cool the cake in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Note that every oven is different – you need to experiment until you find a temperature that is best for baking butter cakes.
- I use 65g eggs for all my bakes.
I like to bake and cook myself too but hv reduce much since last 2 years due to work and family committment. I love to read yr blog and hopefully I can find some time to try out all the recipes you shared, they all looks so yummillious! 😀
Awesome! I tried the basic Mrs Ng recipe shared from your blog. And it’s well received by my family.
Happy Lunar New Year!
More mushroom recipes, please. Thanks
Hope to be able to see more variety of cakes like Gula Melaka and carrot cakes too.
Thanks for spreading your love in baking & cooking. I will like to see pies & tarts recipes. I know you can do it.
More recipes on jelly pls.
I hope to see more baking recipes for muffins and cakes because my kids are tired of my bread with jam or butter. Hope to find more recipes so that the kids can have a wider variety of breakfast menu.
More recipes on jellies
I’d like to see more simple and quick to make recipes like those in your pastas recipe, but not confine to only pasta. Thanks!
I am new in baking and cooking and totally appreciate your sharing of recipes. I enjoyed reading your blog and will definitely purchase a copy of your book when is available mid February.
Gong Xi Fa Cai
HI Diana!!! I love your blog!!! its always fresh and i learn a lot every time !!! 😀
HI Diana !!! I love your blog !!! Its always fresh and i learn a lot every time !!! 😀
I love ice-creams, any homemade ice-creams recipe preferably without the use ice cream makers? Lovely blog!
i like to see super simple meal that i can make in 10 minutes
Would love to see more 1 pot meal so i can cook more often after work
I would love to see cookies with royal icing on your blog 🙂
Yes, agree that Mrs SK Ng recipe is one of the best but the way you change it is superb!
Would be wonderful to see some videos of your recipes. Thank you 🙂
I would love more Chinese main course and soup. Thank you.
I would like to see one pot recipes, simple and few ingredients meal that can be prepared and cooked as short as 10-15 mins to an hour…. Haha… Too ambitious for a noob like me…
Thanks for the recipes u had shared!!
Happy Chinese New Year!!
Love to see my easy to cook home cook dishes with cast iron skillet and more macarons! Thanks for sharing.
Would love to see more one-pot recipes for quick dinners.
I love to cook for my loved ones however due to work and other commitments, I hardly find time to cook and bake. The recipes have inspired me a lot and I look forward for more ideas for busy people like me to cook or bake.
Thanks for all the lovely and fail-proof recipes! Loving it!!
I would like to see recipes on cooking for 2.
I would like to see bakes using Nutella or chocolate. Thanks.
love to read more on short time prepare and cook dishes.. upon ushering in the year of monkey, I am also now a WAHM to my primary school going child. Got to ask double the speed as the precious is not going to have the canteen food!
I’m gg to try this! Thanks for sharing Diana !
More one pot recipes pls for the busy mums!
Love all your fuss free n easy peasy recipes. Be it baking or cooking ones 🙂
Thank you for the giveaway. Had shared and liked your Facebook.
Thanks for the recipe. Would like to see more recipe using fruits.
I would like to see more easy to cook dishes
Thank you for your generous give away! Huat Ah!
Would love to see more recipes on asian kuehs and desserts! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
I would like to view more western food recipes from your blog like pasta or salad.
Hi Diana, would like to know how to cook a really fragrant salted fish fried rice!
Thank for hosting this giveaway. 🙂
More easy bread/bun recipes! 🙂
Maybe can have a series of 3 dishes + 1 soup or one pot meals for busy mummies who still wanna cook for their family 🙂
Hope to see more one-pot recipe for dinner.
Call me old fashion but I still prefer to flip pages of my books (cookbooks included) more than to swipe the pages of my ebooks despite growing up in the technology age.
Hi Diana, i would like to know how to cook ONE-pot recipe for dinner. Thank you!
My all time favourite is buttercake. . Marbled. Walnut n any other kind! This orange butter cake will be something i m going to try.. Thanks for the recipe!!
Hope for a unique salad…….
Hope to see The Original Mongolian beef/chicken dish. It’s my favourite Chinese dish. I only get to eat this dish at restaurant or some “tze char” stall but the taste is so different from each others. I hope I can have your special recipe for this dish.
I am learning to cook for my family, hope to see more simple and easy to cook pork dishes, veggie and soup dishes 🙂
Looking forward to see more simple and delicious recipe. So that I can learn to.cook and impress my family and relatives.
Looking forward to see more simple and delicious recipe so that I can learn and impress my family and relatives.
Hope to see more mushroom and chicken receipes
I tried the marbled version, the marbled pattern did not turn out to be as nice as yours. The taste of course was very good. Hope to see more cakes and cookies recipe.
hope to see easy to cook dishes.
Hope to see more easy to bake Cupcakes
Vegan recipes, please!
Thanks for organizing this giveaway! 🙂
Hope to see even more simple cakes and bakes!
Hi hi i would like to see more 1 pot receipes pls pls ~~
I would love to see traditional Teochew orh nee recipe… And 一品锅!
Love butter or citrus anything. Can’t wait to try out this recipe that combines the 2!
I would like to see more kids friendly meals that are easy to prepare.
Love your creation recipes!
Nice butter cake. Will definitely try to bake it. Thanks for sharing
I would like to see your recipes and steps to baking jar cakes, cake pops and macaroons!!
Will love to see more simple dishes.
Any recommemdation for orange extract that you are using for this irange butter cake recipe? 🙂
Hi Christina I use Nielsen Massey for all my extracts. Pls See http://www.nielsenmassey.com/consumer/products-pure-orange-extract.php 🙂
Hi Diana. I love all your posting and recipes. You are such a good cook.
Thank you for your sharing.
Hi Diana,
Though I am a newbie to your website, I went through your previous post and I love all your very simple cooking and baking methods.
I would really like to know what batter to deep fry a big whole prawn. Each time I tried the batter is either too hard or soggy after frying. Thank you.
would definitely try this orange cake recipe ! thanks for sharing recipe
Don’t know how to bake or cook well, but am able to do it with your clear and step by step recipe. Hope to have a copy of your book so that I can be a better cook. Thank you!!!
Tried your recipe for Mrs SK Ng butter cake, its now the family’s favourite everyday cake, loving your twist on this favourite, will be trying it out soon.
Thanks for sharing!
This is awesome! This is such a wonderful cake and I am glad your family loves it – this means you will be baking more! Yay!
More unique ways of cooking salmon please!!
Hope to see more how yo cook claypot tice
Going to try this orange butter cake soon. Tried the butter cake one and it won my hubby heart. Thanks for your unselfishness of sharing.
That is so so nice! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Looks delicious! more cake recipes 🙂
Cant wait for more non-flour desserts in the blog!
I want to have a copy if the cook book !
Tks
I would like to see more exotic recipes
Sourdough bread
Sourdough bread.
Love your blog…giving me lot of ideas
Hi Diana,
Could you please share some tips on how you’re able to have your cake so flat? I smooth the top before putting in and still get a dome 🙁
Hi my name Sandra bake ur marble cake and was yummy, by the way I want to bake a6inch butter orange cake wat is the measurement like?
Can you please advise.
Thank you
Hi Sandra pls use ratio to work out the quantities.
Hi Mrs Ng can u let me know the measurement for a 6inch Orange butter cake instead of 8inch cos want to bake a smaller version
And the baking time n temperature is it the same?
Hi I saw ur reply but how to ratio cos my maths not so good
Never really tried orange cake. But fancy giving it a go. Thanks for posting sounds delcious. Simon
Hi can i use all purpose plain flour instead of self raising flour for this orange butter cake?
Hi Kat pls see http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/tell-me-why/
The cake is so nice and lovely. I love butter cake better than other cakes, I am sure to try and make it. Thanks Diana for sharing the recipe. You are so considered. Thanks
You are welcome Sew Yen 🙂
Hi Diana, can i know how much baking powder and baking soda should i add if i replace SLF with cake flour? Most of the measurements suggest using plain flour with baking powder but did not mention about using cake flour and baking powder to substitute SLF. Thanks in advance.
HI pls http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/tell-me-why/
Hi! I tried your chiffon recipes and they are absolutely amazing! I’m trying this orange butter cake now and I want to ask by leaving the cake in the pan do you mean in the oven or outside the oven?
Hi I am glad that you are enjoying the recipes. I mean outside the oven!
Hi!! I tried your orange butter cake and it was perfect! My family loves it! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I wish I could attach a photo here to show u the cake.. 🤩
Hi Nadia that is so lovely to hear! Keep baking! 🙂
Thanks for your recipe. I modified it to make a chocolate/orange marble cake and the cake was delicious. I added 80g of melted dark chocolate and about 10g of cocoa powder to 1/3 of the batter, following the steps in your marble cake recipe. And added all the orange zest only in the remaining 2/3 batter. Orange and chocolate flavours go well together. Thank you for sharing the orange butter cake recipe, Diana.
Awesome! Such a yummy combination!
Good Day & thank you for sharing.🌹
I tried bake tis cake using Nordic Jubilee Bundt Pan last nite, add more orange zest & orange juice and chocolate rice to the cake batter. It was a succes!! 🤗 Im loving it!! Next time im gonna double the recipe coz its gone too soon!! 😂
HI Nan that is awesome! 🙂
Hi Diana,
Can I add poppy seed to this recipe and if yes, how much of it can be added
Many thanks
Hi Ellyna yes you can – you can ad as much as you like!
Thank you Diana
Great recipe. Love orangey things. Some ground almond would add a little extra to it.
Thank you!