This delicious orange olive oil cake, is a recipe a slightly modified version of a favorite from "The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook". The Mahjoub family, makers of fine EVOO in Tunisia, use blood oranges which give it a red blush color. If I cannot get blood oranges, I use small thin-skinned Florida Juice oranges only. Scrub oranges well, as the whole fruit is used.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch springform cake pan.
2 c. unbleached flour Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda
1t baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2 small blood oranges(or Florida Juice oranges)
Slice off the tops and bottoms of each orange where the skin is very thick and discard. Cut the oranges into chunks, skin and all, discarding the seeds. (They make batter bitter) Transfer orange chunks to a food processor or blender. Pulse to a chunky puree and add
1/3 c Liquid Gold Blood Orange Olive Oil
Pour oil through the feed tube, and mix to a lovely cream.
In a separate large bowl, beat
4 large eggs until thick and lemon colored, gradually beating in
1 1/2 c sugar and add
1 t pure vanilla extract
Fold about a third of the flour mixture into the eggs, then about a third of the orange mixture, continuing to add and fold in the dry and liquid mixtures until all is thoroughly combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325deg and bake 30 minutes longer or until the cake is golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and let cool. Invert cake on rack and dust with confectioners sugar if desired.
(a young customer of ours discovered drizzling this cake with chocolate balsamic vinegar, is yummy!)
Enjoy!