Summer Orange Cake - Tort Diplomat

This is a cool refreshing summer cake. Recipe originates from my country - Romania. The cake is called "Tort Diplomat" and it can be made with other fruits as well. The cream in this cake has a mousse like texture and it is very light and fluffy.

• Ready In: 7 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 4  eggs
• 1  cup flour
• 1  cup sugar
• 125  ml  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 1⁄2 orange, zest of
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• For the cream

• 5  egg yolks
• 200  g sugar
• 500  ml milk
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 20  g gelatin powder
• 1⁄2 cup hot water
• 1  teaspoon vanilla or 1  teaspoon  lemon extract
• 6 -8  large oranges
• 2 -3  tablespoons  oil, and 2-3 tbsp flour to coat the pan

Directions

1. Coat an 8 or 9 inch pan with oil and dust with flour or use cake release. Preheat oven to 325 F degrees.
2. Making the Cake: Mix eggs and sugar in the mixer till it doubles in volume.
3. Add the oil and mix it on medium high, then add the flour, orange zest, and the baking powder mixed with the lemon juice. Mix or beat for 2-3 more minutes.
4. Poor batter in prepared pan and drop the pan gently on the table to release the big bubbles. Bake on middle rack for 45-55 min and tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
5. Let it cool in the pan for about 10 min and invert it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Preparation of the Cream:
7. Prepare custard first. Mix together with a spoon the hot water and the gelatin in a small bowl till the gelatin dissolves.
8. Whisk 5 egg yolks, milk, sugar,flour, and vanilla in a pan till is combined and no lumps are present. Place on low heat and cook till it thickens. Let it get to a couple of boils.
9. Remove from the heat and let it cool for about 10 min stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming on top of the custard.
10. Meanwhile, peal and slice 3-4 oranges (thin even layers) and cube the rest of the oranges.
11. Arrange the orange slices on the bottom and sides of the pan to preference.
12. After 10 min mix the gelatin mixture into the custard till it totally dissolves.
13. Beat the heavy whipping cream almost stiff peaks.
14. Once the custard is cold, add one third of the custard to the whipped up cream, mix it well and add the remainder custard in two parts.
15. Bring the mixer to med high and mix well.
16. Put a layer of the custard mixture on top of the orange slices and the side of the pan, place a cake layer that has orange juice poured on with a spoon, place another layer of custard mix, cut up oranges and lastly the second layer of cake that has orange juice on it.
17. If you have 3 layers of cake you can use them all.
18. Make sure you do not cover the last layer of cake with the custard mix. That will be the bottom of the cake.
19. Cover the whole pan and cake with saran wrap (see image 8) and refrigerate at least 4-6 hours ( I usually chill it over night).
20. When it is time to serve, remove the wrap and invert the cake to a platter or cake board. Finish removing the other wrap that is now on top of the cake.
21. Use a serrated knife to cut through the orange slices while holding the oranges gently -- so you won't end up with a mess.