Recipe: Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake

by Jennifer Miller

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I love the smell of citrus during the holiday’s: oranges, grapefruits and lemons are all at their peek of perfection and ready to be used in an array of dishes.

Every year, I make this delicious Orange-Olive-Oil cake and it’s always a showstopper. It’s slightly reminiscent of a French Gateau Breton: it's wonderfully dense and pairs perfectly with a sweet glass of wine or a nice cup of tea.

 

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Happy Holiday’s!

Orange-Scented Olive Oil Cake from Saveur

 INGREDIENTS

  • 2 oranges
  • 2⅓ cups sugar
  • Unsalted butter, for buttering the pan
  • 2½ cups flour, plus more for pan
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 6 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ½ tbs. fresh orange juice (you may need a little more)
  • ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
  • Sea salt, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Trim about ½" from the tops and bottoms of oranges; quarter oranges lengthwise. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan; add oranges.
  2. Bring water back to a boil; drain. Repeat boiling process twice more with fresh water. Put oranges, 1-cup sugar, and 4 cups water into a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.
  3. Cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and orange rind can be easily pierced, about 30 minutes.
  4. Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Heat oven to 350°. Butter a 10" round cake pan with butter and dust with flour; line pan bottom with parchment paper cut to fit. Set pan aside.
  6. Mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Remove orange quarters from syrup, remove and discard any seeds, and put oranges into the bowl of a food processor or blender.
  7. Pulse until oranges form a chunky purée, 10 to 12 pulses.
  8. Add remaining sugar, flour mixture, vanilla, and eggs and blend until combined, about 2 minutes.
  9. Add olive oil and combine.
  10. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 45- 55 minutes.
  11. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
  12. In a small bowl, mix orange juice and confectioners' sugar to make a thin glaze, adding more juice and sugar until the texture is perfect.
  13. Remove cake from pan and transfer to a cake stand or plate.
  14. Using a pastry brush, brush orange glaze over top and sides of cake; let cool completely.
  15. Generously sprinkle the cake with sea salt.