Olive Oil Cake with Candied Oranges

When this month’s edition of Bon Appetit arrived on my doorstep I thumbed through it immediately, as I always do. Lo and behold, I found myself intrigued by an olive oil cake recipe. I’ve heard of olive oil cakes in the past. I’ve always wanted to try one however, as so many things do, that project was pushed to the side for one reason or another and then eventually forgotten until the next time I saw an olive oil cake once again at which point I would remember… Hey! I want to make one of those!

To be sure not to allow the thought to escape me once again, I soon set out to make Bon Appetit’s lovely olive oil cake with candied oranges. This cake was simply wonderful. The cake itself is much like the a dense pound cake however it’s so much more moist. (About a million times more moist!) The flavor of the olive oil is the star here but it’s nicely complimented by orange zest as well as accents of cardamom.

I can distinctly remember as a child, my Nan would make candied orange peels. I was always intrigued by the fact that she was able to make something not meant to be eaten into wonderful candy. As an adult, I’ve never made candied orange peels (*Note to self: Make candied orange peels!) but as if this simple cake with hints of orange wasn’t already perfection, it gets topped with wonderful orange slices that have been bathed in a syrup of sugar, orange blossom honey and green cardamom pods.

I’ve never been a big fan of cardamom. It’s not that I don’t care for it, I’ve just never cared to form an opinion one way or another. After making (and eating) this recipe, I’ve declared myself a very big fan! The aromatic smell of cardamom as you make the candied oranges is absolutely intoxicating. The sweet, spicy, complex smell took over my house and made me swoon. Let me just tell you, go ahead and cut more slices than you’ll need to top this moist olive oil cake because I assure you they won’t all make it onto the top. When these orange slices are done taking their sweet bath, you won’t be able to help yourself. You will inevitably eat some along the way.

So if you haven’t ever tried an olive oil cake, give this one a try. It’s simply wonderful.

Enjoy!

~K

Olive Oil Cake with Candied Oranges Bon Appetite Magazine (June 2011)

Candied Orange & Syrup

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. orange blossom honey

3 Tbsp green cardamom pods, crushed

1 small orange, thinly sliced

Cake

1/2 c. olive oil plus more for brushing

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. semolina flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 c. sugar, divided

3 large eggs, separated

2/3 c. plain whole-milk yogurt

1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chopped unsalted pistachios, lightly toasted (Not pictured. I didn’t use them on my cake since Maddy isn’t cleared for trying nuts yet and surely, she was going to want to try this wonderful concoction.) 

Tagged as: baking, cake, candied orange, cardamom, dessert, easy, fruit, holiday, honey, olive oil, orange, pistachios, recipe, simple, snack, sweet