Simple. Tasty. Beautiful.
The first featured dessert recipe!
I have to be honest with you all - I hate baking! I have never been good at it and I find the whole process very stressful. Luckily, I don’t have a big sweet tooth so I have managed to avoid learning to bake. However, every once in a while I’ll need to make something sweet for a party and out of necessity I have picked up a few things.
When I do make dessert I go for simplicity and subtlety. If you are looking for extravagant confections with wild flavors, I’m afraid I won’t be much help. This recipe is extremely simple and relies on just a few good quality ingredients. The orange in the cake makes it beautifully fresh and the olive oil adds a golden richness. The cake is slightly sweet and the orange, olive oil, and almond extract harmonize to create a delightful flavor.
The first time I tested this recipe, for a beach happy hour, my cake stuck to the pan. I had to pry it out with a knife and frankenstein it back together. After reading about baking tips, I learned that excessive amounts of baking spray and parchment paper are a baker's best friend. If all else fails, a dusting of powdered sugar does a great job of hiding all the little (or big) imperfections!
Recipe
10 Min Prep
45-55 Min Cook
8-10 Servings
Ingredients:
Dry
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Wet
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
1 cup whole milk
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
½ an orange zested
1/3 cup squeezed orange juice
Orange Drizzle
1 cup powdered sugar
½ an orange zested
2.5 tablespoons orange juice
Steps:
Preheat your oven to 350°.
Generously coat a 9 inch cake pan with baking spray and then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the pan once again once the paper is in.
In a small bowl mix together your glaze and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together your wet ingredients.
Pour your wet mixture into your dry mixture and whisk to combine. Whisk gently until the batter is combined, being careful not to over beat the batter.
Pour your batter into the cake pan and bake for 45-55 minutes. Poke your cake with a toothpick, if it comes out without any wet batter you know your cake is done.
Let the cake cool on a plate or cake rack before adding the Orange Drizzle.
Slice and enjoy! This is the perfect cake for afternoon tea, a garden party, or an dinner party.
Additional Tips:
Oranges: I found that 2 oranges usually gives me enough juice for the cake and drizzle. Make sure to zest the orange first before juicing it.
Orange Drizzle: I suggest adding the drizzle right before serving. The sugar can lose its moisture when it sits out for too long.