Belgian witbiers, also called white ales, have notes of citrus and coriander that make them an ideal pairing for fruit desserts. A sour cream frosting complements the rich, slightly tangy flavor of this fine-grained cake while adding an irresistibly cheerful color. Food writer and recipe developer Lori Rice shared this recipe with us in Sift's Fall 2018 issue.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
For the cake: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and coriander in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light in color.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing at medium-high speed until the first is absorbed before adding the next.
Scrape down the bowl and add 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined, then add the orange juice and half of the beer.
Add half of the remaining dry ingredients, mix to combine, then add the remaining beer and the rest of the dry ingredients.
Gradually raise the speed to medium-high and mix for 30 to 45 seconds, until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 54 to 57 minutes, until the cake just begins to pull away from the edge of the pan, and a paring knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.
To make the frosting: Mix together the sour cream and orange zest.
Whisk in the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, salt, and coriander. The frosting will have a pourable yet thick consistency that will be able to sheet a bit down the sides of the cake.
Tip the cake out of its pan and drizzle with frosting while still slightly warm. Let cool completely before slicing.
Store wrapped at room temperature for up to three days; freeze for longer storage.
