Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Adapted from the NYTimes Cooking recipe by Samantha Seneviratne
Makes: 1 9-inch Cake
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
1 cup/ 240 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups/ 255 grams all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups/ 300 grams granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoon freshly grated citrus zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh citrus juice (I used lemon and grapefruit but any citrus will do)
1 ¼ cups/ 295 milliliters whole milk, at room temperature
For the glaze:
1 cup citrus juice
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 generous pinch of sea salt (optional)
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan using extra-virgin olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the sugar and citrus zest until well incorporated.
Stop the mixer and use your fingers to rub together the sugar and zest to release the citrus oils and give more depth to your overall flavor. Add in the eggs and beat on high until pale in color and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes).
With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and beat until incorporated, another 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add milk and lemon juice. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes (I started checking at 40 but it took about 45).
While the cake is baking, combine additional citrus juice, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer and whisk this mixture over medium-high heat until reduced in overall volume by at least one-third and can coat the back of your spoon.
Take the cake out of the oven and immediately use a thin skewer to poke holes evenly across the top.
Keeping the cake in the pan, slowly pour your syrup over the cake ensuring that the syrup is being distributed evenly across the entire surface. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (to let the syrup soak up completely) before running a knife around the edge and inverting the cake onto a plate to cool completely.
Once cooled, dust lightly with powdered sugar, if desired, slice, and enjoy!
Winter citrus season is always a bright spot in the otherwise dreary months of January and February. There is something about the zest, the tang, the zing, that wakes me from that murky fatigue of shorter days and puts a little pep in my step. This cake embodies that spark and could wake even the sleepiest of your friends and family. Need something for a picnic? Bam. An easy and tasteful end to a dinner party? Boom. A simple but satisfying baking project for a Sunday afternoon? Bazinga!
Let us know what you think!