I reach Sunny California and it’s the right time to share a recipe for this yummy Orange Chocolate Cake. It’s made by a young friend (my friend’s 10-year-old daughter) and its delicious. It’s also gluten free and uses her home-grown organic Oranges. We had it as a part of an early celebration of my 47th Birthday -what can be more perfect than that!
I want to share how special it is to be able to assist a young budding baker in this recipe. And I am happy to be able to share this memory along with the memory of my travels which revolved a lot around food.
I hope people can relate to the memories of baking with their younger friends, nieces, nephews or other family members. Perhaps some of you like me, have precious memories of learning from grandmothers, mothers, aunts, other friends and teachers. Cooking along with others is different from just reading up or watching a recipe online.
Time well spent in creating something delightful together and the sheer excitement of cutting into a cake to taste how it finally turns out is refreshed in my memory. Every cake is a delight- even the stories around the fails are special. Something that brings out the child in each of us perhaps.
Memories of OC before Orange Chocolate Cake
Some of you maybe old enough to remember this series called The O.C (Orange County) which I remember being hooked on to in my younger days. It showed glimpses of a life and place far away which captivated my imagination as a young first jobber. That embedded memory suddenly emerged when I took a step back to reflect upon the privilege of finally visiting California for a few days this summer.
Perhaps the glamourous life of people in Southern California was an additional attraction for me back when I worked paycheck to paycheck struggling to pay my bills. The kindling of envy or aspiration to have some of that in our own lives was important back then. It was a rite to the passage into adulthood with the perks of enjoying an independent life. I was proudly single and refused any assistance from my parents or elders. I heard echos of the same narrative from my other friends who shared similar experiences here in the US when they left their parental nests.
Cooking was not a big part of our lives back then. I remember instant noodles and sandwiches featured prominently in our diet as we slumped in front of the TV at the end of a long working day.
Those dreams of bigger houses, bigger cars, newer gadgets, more affluent lifestyles and the drama around the rich and the fabulous informed us as much as it entertained. Some of the stories enabled romantic visions of something different from our otherwise mundane day to day lives.
Mandarin Oranges for Orange Chocolate Cake
When I went with my friend on a day visit to San Francisco, I had this really old song buzzing in my head. “San Francisco (Be sure to wear flowers in your hair}“.
Perhaps because we saw so many flowers on our way there. Of course, we weren’t wearing flowers in our hair. My friend was wearing a hat instead to protect from the rather hot sun. I wasn’t wearing one. Well, I do have a few worries about hair loss right now- so we ended up talking a lot about haircare and hair oiling tips as well.
Interestingly, my friend and I had our first meal at a place in San Francisco which is almost like an institution in itself- House of Nanking, started by an immigrant Chinese couple. She shared with me that the place has even featured in a recent Netflix series thanks to their chef daughter. I confess I haven’t seen it. Though I think this would probably be the kind of television that would have me hooked during my earlier years of exploring more around food, cooking, travel and lifestyle.
There’s a part of me which wants to experience more in real life. I am almost impatient to create things and connect with others who also create.
Like my friend shared her passion around her little kitchen garden and I have my own little fangirl moment which probably embarrasses her. I see that as a miracle of creating- vegetables/fruits that are imagined and grown out of nothing. It takes time and a lot of effort.
Sunnyvale has a history of fruit farms and orchards
While she explained everything simply- I did see how some things are trickier when you try to do it yourself. For instance, I don’t know how she plucked those oranges with that stick thingie- mine just got stuck in between and refused to budge.
She’s at pains to play down her gardening efforts narrating how there are many households in Sunnyvale with their own gardens. Many of them bigger and more elaborate ones. Perhaps she doesn’t realise that for me her little kitchen garden is itself a huge mountain to climb. 🙂
She told me a funny story of her experiment to grow potatoes.
She put in 4 tiny potatoes and after many months of diligent studying and careful nurturing they ended up with a disappointing harvest of 6 measly potatoes. I gathered that particular venture was not v fruitful. What was plentiful in her garden was tomatoes and brinjal. That makes me feel like I should try growing tomatoes and chillis now. V useful ingredients.
We visited an apricot farm during my visit and I got to see firsthand how the city has tried to preserve a little bit of its heritage of fruit farms/orchards. It stands out as a quaint tourist spot even as the rest of the town gets taken over by the wealth from the Silicon Valley growth story.
I am just happy to buy and try the really sweet and juicy apricots. I also bring back a bottle of apricot jam for my other friend in Connecticut.
Walking along the piers
We hadn’t decided what to cook or bake for dinner. Oranges were on my mind as we had so many from her garden. Orange Chocolate cake was definitely not on our mind. The idea developed organically as we walked along and shared whatever was happening in our lives.
We tried to ride the famed cable car in San Francisco but it was closed early because of fireworks planned for the 4th of July holiday. While we missed that, the walk along the pretty Lombard Street and the Fisherman Wharf area was actually nice. It was quite sunny and chilly around the Piers from which the ferry rides took off. We had plenty of opportunities for people watching and for spotting sea lions as well.
We skipped the ferry ride to Golden Gate or Alcatraz which are other popular choices amongst visitors. Perhaps just meeting after such a long time and getting that precious time alone was more important for us as we yapped away.
A short break for coffee led us to Boudin bakery which seemed like a high altar for gawky sourdough/baking enthusiasts like me. I guess any walking food tour should include a place like this. They were throwing freshly baked sourdough boules around which was so exciting- especially for the kids.
Alas, we didn’t catch any and ended up paying to buy a loaf of good bread and cheese to bring back home. Damn our luck! 🙂
Red rashes and skin peels for Oranges
I shared woes around skin problems as well. How I faced some dryness, sunburns and itching sensation from time to time. In addition to sunscreens or lotions, she ventures out with full protection for head, arms, legs as well. It brought back many memories of my own struggles in the past. Sometimes the only way out for me was to avoid venturing out too much during the daytime. This kind of skin problem is partly genetic. I’m happy today to be able to go and enjoy our little day out in the sun.
I shared with her my take on different triggers for this condition that I had discovered in the past. Like certain foods (gluten, dairy, nuts etc), stress, lack of sleep, rapid weather changes, certain fabrics etc.
Rest and relaxation are one of the antidotes for this condition. But sometimes that’s difficult for most adults.
Even during the 4th of July weekend, where you might think that people have holidays, it’s a lot of work for parents. Children are to be ferried across, or some activities are to be done with them.
Some of it is relaxing and fun. Like shopping or having a coffee break. She introduced me to some of her favourite indulgences from a nearby coffee shop and I realised that the sugar content in their coffee and tarts was much lower- which was a pleasant change from other options that I had tried elsewhere.
My friend also introduced me to a couple of her other friends – mothers of her son’s classmates. They support each other, and there is a sharing of the load of children’s playdates, summer camp ideas, tips, tricks and sometimes generally rants.
Parenting is much like working with citrus fruits. If you squeeze a lemon or orange peel- you get that lovely fragrance. But that gets in your eyes sometimes and makes it burn or water. And sometimes it’s too bitter if you don’t balance it with just a little bit of sugar on the side.
Why bake cakes? Why not buy them?
I wanted to visit a farmer’s market, so we head out during the weekend. I am stunned by the wide array of produce there. This is usually over the weekend and turns out to be a delightful place to explore with family and kids. People like me who love to cook, need to be put on a leash there. 🙂 I can literally go berserk, buying different ingredients with flights of fancy around memories of dishes, recipes, combinations etc. They pop up unwittingly as we take in one stall’s display and one experience after another. It was helpful to have my friend guide me around.
It helped to know what the kids like as well. Most of the meals are now focused on giving some good healthy, delicious and hearty options for her son who is 14 and her daughter who is 10 years old. They are in the growing stages and are already developing their own tastes and preferences around food. While she doesn’t do a specific meal plan, she definitely makes sure that there is always something cooked in the fridge. And she cooks enough for at least a couple of meals so that the kids have something cooked to eat even if she’s not at home.
All of us struggle with the problem of snacking vs main meals. With so many delicious snacks available in the supermarkets, perhaps cooked foods (especially meals made from scratch) becomes rarer.
How do I answer this question- Why bake things from scratch, when you can buy something easily from the supermarkets or delightful little bakeries/cafes around town?
Ummm….Also, why cook certain foods which can very well be consumed raw. Like oranges.
Does the Kitchen have a special place in your home?
My friend and her husband are both busy working parents. I try to see whether I can help them in any way while I am around. But I am also a bit wary of whether I am stepping onto their toes/roles as parents. They are both very adjusting and relaxed, so I feel right at home in their kitchen.
My friend also loves to cook but hates to clean up. I confess, I am perhaps the same way. Except that in my case, I do need to do it myself since I don’t usually have other members in the house to help.
Her husband helps quite a bit and now, her daughter is also old enough to help a bit in the kitchen. It was a delight to cook something with her daughter for breakfast. Especially using fresh ingredients from their own kitchen garden harvest. Just a simple spread for breads. But you know how special everything tastes when you have plucked the ingredients from your own yard and made everything from fresh organic produce.
It was so cute when her daughter was pestering and “selling” the cooked item to her. I think kids eat more and appreciate more of the food on the table when they are involved in the cooking process themselves.
So here’s my argument in favour of freshly cooked meals or foods in your kitchen. The smell of cooking – especially freshly baked stuff is a wonderful thing. That special smell is what makes a house into a home. And the warmth of sharing little tasks together while you cook in your kitchen is a way to bond, teach, learn and exchange daily notes with other family members.
Music, books and Summer Holidays memories
It helps that the kitchen is open and seems like an extension to the dining/family room. That way you can seamlessly move in and out of the kitchen into the adjacent space where the kids are reading, playing music or working on some school project.
I’m trying to capture this memory of both the kids learning to play the piano, going through the paces of trying to assert their own individuality as they step into the teens or preteens. They are both avid readers and seem to have inherited their mother’s story telling genes. 🙂
While I was struggling to finish that one book that I was carrying with me during the journey, I saw her daughter rapidly finish several books and narrate the stories as well to me over a meal or two.
While I oiled her hair, she told me a little more about her new book’s engrossing plot. She quickly made a bead bracelet (like a friendship band) – customised with my chosen colours. 🙂
That and our girlie activity of painting nails together seems like something that I remember enjoying myself as a kid with my aunts and older cousins. Perhaps, these are the more precious memories that I do wish to capture and retain.
Their little town seems like a great place to bring up kids with its good schools, libraries, safe neighborhood, other supportive friends circles and community activity groups for gardening, hiking, camping or sports for adults/kids. This is the life of parents which I see glimpses of elsewhere as well. Perhaps I remain as an observer/outsider since I have no kids of my own.
Redwoods tell me my woes are small
We go for a little excursion into a nearby Redwoods park followed by a visit to an apricot farm. Both unique and so indigenous. My admiration tinged with envy is perhaps due to a momentary lapse of judgment where I have my usual futile brain switcheroo of trying to walk in her shoes. A part of me realises at the same time, what appears so nice for a visitor, needs to be balanced out with a healthy dose of reality check.
Like, sure there are wonderful moments like this when you can enjoy the peace and pleasures of walking and being one with nature. But then you have your stressful days as a parent as well when you are rushing to finish forms for schools, activity groups, paying bills or managing regular chores even when you are not in the best of your health. They don’t have a choice otherwise. Just like I dont have the choice of being a parent myself and enjoying the blessings of a clear sense of purpose that goes with that role.
Grounding this philosophical reflection, is our conversation around how some of the national parks in India need to have a few better facilities. (Psst! We women always end up talking about toilets and garbage disposal somehow). And that’s what I think, remains fresh in my mind as I remember the beautiful places I visited.
Everything was clean, because there was a certain effort to keep it that way- as much our responsibility as individuals as the overall administrative/governing unit which is in charge.
Definitely it doesn’t help if you have drunkards or doped up teenagers/wastrels acting up in large crowds in such places. When all of them create a nuisance how can a few help to restore.
What goes into an Orange Chocolate Cake?
Obviously, oranges. But I was in two minds because there was so much to choose from! The problem of plenty is a good problem to have.
Her kitchen and larder is full of different seasonings, spices and sauces which is fun for me. I hadn’t cooked with them before. When the vegetables are fresh and organic- you really don’t need much on top. They were bursting with the natural goodness of their own flavours. I want to remember and capture the memory of the lingering taste of the fresh oranges, peaches, plums, berries and apricots. They were all grown locally- probably plucked the same day or a couple of days ago.
My friend ruefully states that they have so many oranges and plums around the house (from their garden and their neighbour’s gardens) and the kids don’t like to eat them anymore. Weird, how we don’t appreciate something which is easily available and in plenty.
Old memory of Economics lesson of Diminishing Marginal Utility kicked in somewhere in my brain. Someone like me who was a visitor there was going wow every 2-3 minutes on things which are probably very mundane for them. 🙂
Cutting a long story short, oranges were in plenty and hence baking an orange cake seemed almost intuitive. I was amazed to learn that my friend’s 10 year old daughter had already baked a few things at school in their gardening class. They had made zucchini bread/cake from zucchini grown in the school and that seems like such a fun useful activity to teach kids under some school subjects.
Glutenfree Orange Chocolate Cake
It turned out to be a gluten free orange chocolate cake because there was some almond flour to be used up and there was plenty of chocolate around as well.
My friend loves nutty flavors and everyone loves chocolates- so we settled in on this recipe that they had tried before. Her husband mentioned that they had made this Gluten free orange cake as well and it had turned out very well.
Interestingly, I remember using this recipe myself and sharing with my other friends earlier during the pandemic period when all of us turned to a lot of baking at home.
We didn’t modify the orange chocolate cake recipe much. Only additional step added was in the mixing process. We mixed the wet and the dry ingredients separately first before combining the two.
They have all the ingredients at home which made the choice very easy for us. She also likes to give her kids eggs for breakfast- so this seemed like another slightly more indulgent way to get those eggs in. 🙂
What I like about this recipe is that it doesn’t require any additional oils/fats (plenty of it coming from the eggs, the almond flour and the orange peels). And also that it is bursting with the orange chocolate flavour. It’s not super sweet- you can adjust the level of sweetness yourself. And it is wonderfully moist- in fact, if you have a sweet tooth, it’s difficult to not finish this one in a couple of sittings. 🙂
Family Dinner Finished with Orange Chocolate Cake
Dinner is ready by 7 or so. We have a lavish spread of roast veggies from the farmer’s market, some bread and cheese which we bought from a local store, fresh apricots from the apricot farm and a refreshing cocktail made by my friend’s husband.
I cut the cake and we dig into the delicious moist bake still warm out of the oven. Just sitting together and eating as a family is something rare for me these days. Perhaps that early celebration of my birthday along with their generosity of time and good wishes made me a bit teary eyed.
Call me a sentimental fool but I am not sure, when I would get that occasion again with them. This is one special memory that I am very happy to share with all of you. The cake is really good but sharing it with those you love makes it even better.
The beaming smile on my friend’s face and her daughter’s face as we savoured it is indescribable. How does one share over a few written words the fullness of a heart which has received so much love. It’s really difficult. I recommend you try that whenever you find the time to bake this cake as well.
Footnote
Melting Lemon Drop 13. 07. 2025Happy Birthday to me
Can I be morbid enough to say I wish I could die
Why these words when you are happy and full of life
I have stated many a times, I have seen a lot and seen enough
I have already taken my fair share of love in this lifetime
What I had to give was not good perhaps
I have had many a memory lapse
Of attempts to share and care but finally falling woefully short
With those who could give so much more and not even give it a thought
How many times have I baked – perhaps an orange chocolate cake
Using a recipe that made me feel fake
But the slice that I ate was real enough
How it made you and me feel was really good enough.
Your reticence in recognising your own strengths
Makes me cower down in the weight of my own feelings
Of being so small so inadequate so utterly incapable
Of making anyone else feel more able at every dining table.
I wanted to say- I see you are so good
And I only ended up making you declare
It’s just a simple tale about basic food
How do I share that for me there’s so much more to that
Than just something we need to put as fuel
To make this machine run- this body burn
I have heard a sad poem now about how
Someone really impoverished and hungry
Sees even the moon as a burnt flatbread
And the mother in me told the crying child within
I have a trauma with baking which I find addictive
Isn’t the desire for life to go on- in itself a drug vindictive
Am I really that indifferent towards this cake
Or is that me trying to be superior to others- being a superficial flake?
If you are using bigger oranges (e.g., Seville Oranges)- you can use 2. Adjust sugar to the level of your desired sweetness. You can also add some chocolate chips or other nuts and raisins into the batter in the last fold before putting into the oven. Orange Chocolate Cake
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Ingredients
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