Orange Olive Oil Cake

Make a 9” round cake, I used a deep cake pan, this cake is to thick to use a regular size pan.

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¾ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 1/3 cup olive oil, you want to use a mild olive oil, I use  Colavita Olive Oil 100% pure, that I zest 3 oranges into the oil and warm (remember heat and olive oil to not go well together.)  Do not simmer, or boil, just barely heat and let set for 2 hours. Then strain and use in your cake.

1 ¼ cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1 ½ Tablespoon grated orange zest, I used zest from 2 oranges.

¼ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup Grand Marnier

Heat the oven to 350’.  Oil, butter, or spray a 9” pan that is at least 2” deep and line the bottom with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder.  In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest, orange juice and Grand Marnier.  Add the dry ingredients; whisk until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for up to 1 hour until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean.  Mine took under an hour so make  sure you watch it.    Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely, 2 hours.

While Cake is cooling make Orange Curd:

6 egg yolks

½ cup sugar

½ cup fresh orange juice

4 ounces (8 Tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

zest of 2 oranges

Put egg yolks, sugar, orange juice in a medium saucepan over low heat, whisking constantly.

Continue whisking until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon: about 10 minutes. Be patient: it will happen!

Remove from heat and whisk the butter into the curd a few pieces at a time until they are melted and all of the butter is incorporated.  Whisk the zest in.  Let cool, measure out 1 cup and put in refrigerator to use in frosting.  Spread the remaining over cooled cake.

Frosting:

2 cups chilled whipping cream

1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 cup orange curd, that has been chilled

2 teaspoons orange zest

Whip the cream and mascarpone cheese together on medium peed until blended; gradually add the sugar and increase the speed to high and whip until firm peaks form.  Add orange curd and orange zest and mix until blended.  Frost cooled cake. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Candied Oranges:

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 orange

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a heavy large pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  Thinly slice oranges and add to pan, arranging the slices in a single layer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and barely simmer until the white pith of the orange becomes translucent, turning the slices occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Remove the slices from the syrup and allow to cool on a wire rack; turning occasionally as they cool to keep them from sticking to the rack.

1 cut min in half with scissors while still barely warm and not yet firmed.

Once cooled place on cake.

To Assemble the cake:

Spread left over curd on cooled cake. Cover the entire cake or just the top with the frosting, and garnish with candied orange slices.  Keep cake in the refrigerator.

 I think it taste better made the day before.