Oh-Oh-OH! (Orange-Olive Oil) Cake
This cake was one of my first attempts at baking with olive oil. I found that olive oil goes very well with orange. I named it the “Oh…Oh… OH!” cake for two reasons. First it’s a play on the first initial of each ingredient. But it is also the reaction this cake typically elicits from people when they first try it… You see, the first “oh”, usually one of curiosity, occurs when they first hear the cake is made with olive oil… The second “oh” is one of unexpected surprise upon taking the first bite… And the last “oh” is an expression of pure delight once they have time to truly savor and appreciate the cake! This cake goes particularly well with a cup of coffee at breakfast or in the middle of the afternoon.
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the cake pan
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup fresh orange juice, divided
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a bundt pan and dust it with flour.
In a small bowl, sift together the all –purpose flour, almond meal and baking powder; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Gradually add in 1¼ cups of the sugar until the mixture is thick, light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Mix ¼ cup of orange juice and the olive oil and gradually pour into the batter while whisking. Add the orange zest and whisk just enough to incorporate. With a spatula, fold (gently stir) in the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, almond meal, and baking powder). Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the remaining ¾ cup orange juice. Stir over low heat, until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until syrup forms.
When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and pierce the top with a toothpick 10-15 times. Pour the orange syrup over the hot cake. Allow to cool down for one hour. Run a knife around the edges and invert the cake out onto a serving dish. Using a fine mesh sieve, dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve.