World Baking Day recipe: The Caker's strawberry and orange blossom cake

In case you aren't aware, there really is a day for everything. For example, January 31 actually marks National Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. And there's no better time to honour the sword-swallower in your life than February 26 - the particularly niche World Sword Swallowers Day. 

However, some of these obscure holidays are certainly worth celebrating. Last Friday we raised a glass (or two) to celebrate World Cocktail Day, and now, Tuesday marks World Baking Day - as if we needed an excuse to go to the bakery for a mid-arvo pick-me-up.

In recognition of the holiday, which is held annually on May 17, Jordan Rondel - the cognoscente behind Auckland-based bakery The Caker - has exclusively shared with Newshub her recipe for a strawberry and orange blossom cake that will have you hard-pressed to stop at a single slice.

"This recipe makes a two-layer cake to feed 12, but if you want to make a four-layer one, simply double everything," Rondel says.

"I love the floral and fruity flavours in this fresh and light cake. The concept here celebrates the end of summer with the use of luscious strawberries and the beginning of the colder months with bright citrus."

As an ambassador for Kenwood, Rondel is a proponent of the brand's popular Chef Baker Mixers for all baking and caking endeavours. However, KitchenAid's Stand Mixers are also a good bet.

For the cake:

• 150g butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 free range eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 75g ground almonds
• 125g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch sea salt
• 0.5 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yoghurt
• Zest and juice of one orange
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 cup of fresh strawberries, quartered.

For the icing:

• 150g butter, softened
• 250g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp orange blossom water
• 1 tsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 100g cream cheese, softened.

For the decorations:

• Freeze-dried strawberries
• Sprays roses and or dried rose petals.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan bake. Line two nine-inch cake pans with baking paper circles.
2. To make the cake, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale, light and fluffy in the bowl of your mixer. Leave the mixer going for at least three minutes at high speed.
3. Crack the eggs into a clear jug and check for shells before beating the eggs one by one into the butter mixture along with the vanilla.
4. Gradually fold in the almond flour, flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Next, fold through the yoghurt, zest, juice and orange blossom water.
5. Evenly divide the batter between the two cake pans and spread out to the sides. Dot in the strawberry pieces and press them down lightly into the batter.
6. Bake for approximately 30 minutes. The cake is ready when golden in colour, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool for around 10 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a cooling rack.
8. Next, make the icing. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter by itself until smooth.
9. Add the icing sugar and beat on high until seriously light and fluffy. Leave the mixer going for at least three minutes at high speed.
10. Add the vanilla, orange blossom water and strawberry powder, then gradually add the cream cheese and continue beating until smooth.
11. Once the cakes are completely cool, transfer one layer to a serving plate and ice this layer.
12. Carefully place the other layer on top of your iced layer. 
13. Neatly ice the top of the cake and decorate as desired.
14. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.