Olive oil blood orange cake

Photo: Simon Lambert
Photo: Simon Lambert
Olive oil cakes are fantastic as they are moist and offer a wonderful flavour. I have infused this cake with the juice and zest of the blood oranges which adds another level of flavour. To serve this cake I caramelised more blood oranges and served it with creamy mascarpone. Divine!

Prep time 30 mins

Cook time 1 hour

Skill moderate

Serves 10

Ingredients

3 eggs

1½ cup olive oil

1¼ cup sugar

1¼ cup milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Zest 2 blood oranges and juice

2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

Caramelised blood oranges

3 blood oranges, peeled (no pith), cut into ½cm rounds

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp water

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin.

Beat the eggs, olive oil and sugar together in a bowl. Add the milk and vanilla, mix to combine. Add the zest and juice from the 2 blood oranges, mix well to combine.

Sift in the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

While the cake is cooking make the caramelised oranges. Place the prepared orange slices into a suitable sized heatproof dish. Place the sugar and water into a small saucepan. Place over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Increase the temperature to moderately high and boil the caramel without stirring until the sugar starts to go a golden brown. Do not walk away as it can change very fast. Once the caramel has changed colour, carefully swirl the pan to mix the caramel and pour immediately over the oranges. Let sit until serving.

Once the cake has cooked, remove and cool in the tin. Turn out and serve with the caramelised oranges and syrup.

I served it with mascarpone but yoghurt works beautifully as well.