Recipe: Orange Olive Oil Cake with Candied Oranges

Did you know that oranges are a winter fruit? I think I tend to forget that since they always seem to be available, but they taste the best during the winter months and provide a much needed boost of vitamin C.

I found this great recipe from SoGoodTV and swapped out the chocolate sauce for candied oranges. I never made an olive oil cake before, but after this recipe, consider me a convert!

I used Fage Greek yogurt and good quality extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. The end result: a dense, buttery cake with hints of orange zest and a nice tangy flavor in each bite!

By the way, what else can I do with candied oranges?

Recipe: Orange Olive Oil Cake
Cake recipe adapted from SoGoodTV
Makes one 9″ cake

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (0% or 2%)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9” cake pan, line bottom with circle of parchment and butter over parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk zest, juice, yogurt, eggs, olive oil and vanilla until well combined. Then in a large bowl, sift and stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently mix.

3. Pour into cake pan and bake until a wooden skewer, when poked in the center, comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Meanwhile, make candied oranges (see recipe below).

4. Poke holes in the cake and pour orange syrup all over the cake. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack.

Candied Oranges
Makes about 24 slices of candied oranges

Ingredients:

2 large navel oranges, thinly sliced
1 cup of sugar (about 1/2 cup more for dusting)

Procedure:

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3- to 3 1/2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oranges. Return to a boil; cook 5 minutes. Transfer oranges to a parchment paper-lined jelly-roll pan, using a slotted spoon; discard water.

2. Combine sugar and 2 cups water in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Add orange slices. Return to a boil; cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, 35 to 45 minutes or until rinds are softened and translucent.

3. Remove oranges, using tongs; arrange on parchment paper-lined jelly-roll pan, folding oranges as desired. Blot with paper towels.

4. Pour syrup through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, reserving syrup. Discard solids. Let oranges dry, uncovered overnight. Toss orange pieces in sugar.

5. Once cake is ready, arrange candied orange slices on top of cake. Cut into wedges and serve drizzled with more syrup.