Mediterranean Olive Oil Orange And Almond Cake Food

LIGHTER ORANGE RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch baking pan very well (on bottom and both sides generously). Line bottom with round of parchment paper.
• Stir brown sugar and water together to make a thick, pasty slurry, then spread it very thinly and evenly across the bottom of the pan (I used the back of a spoon and kept smoothing the slurry over until it was nice and even).
• Arrange the orange slices on top of the brown sugar coating in bottom of the cake pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta, olive oil and vanilla. Add one egg at a time and whisk to combine.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Whisk or mix using a wooden spoon. Combine the sugar with the zest of two oranges and add that to the mixture. Mix again until batter is well combined (it may look a little thick and grainy. That's fine, but be sure it's well combined)
• Scoop batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently shake to spread evenly.
• Bake in heated oven for 45 minutes or more until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean (You should begin to check at 40 minutes or so, but this could take 1 hour to bake. You want to make sure the bottom has a nice deep caramel color but does not burn)
• Cool in the pan for 5 minutes or so. Run a thin knife around the corners to loosen the cake, then carefully invert onto serving plate. (Some of the orange slices at the bottom may get stuck in the pan, gently pull them up and arrange them on the cake if needed. But this is why a well-greased pan is important).
• Let cool completely, then cut into slices. Serve as is, or add a dollop of creme fraiche or your favorite ice-cream. Enjoy!

ORANGE OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil. Lower the orange in and cover with a lid, leaving a gap so that a little steam can still escape. Boil gently for 30 mins, then remove from the water and allow to cool slightly. Quarter the orange and remove any pips, then transfer to a blender or food processor, add the lemon juice and zest and blitz to a smooth purée.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Oil the sides of a 23cm round cake tin and line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment.
• Sieve the almonds, polenta, baking powder and ½ tsp salt into a large bowl and mix together thoroughly. Whisk the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until really pale and fluffy, about 4 mins. With the mixer still whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream so that the mixture doesn't split. Once incorporated, scrape in the orange purée and whisk to combine, then add the dry ingredients, combining until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 55 mins to 1 hr 5 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin on a wire rack while you make the syrup. Combine the sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cardamom and 30ml water in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then add the rosemary. Turn off the heat and infuse for at least 30 mins.
• Use a skewer to poke holes in the top of the cake, then pour over the syrup. Allow to settle for 5 mins or so, then slice and serve with some natural yogurt or crème fraîche, if you like.

ALMOND CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch-diameter cake pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the almonds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Place cake pan on baking pan to collect any possible spills. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake and place on serving platter, top side up. Sift powdered sugar over the cake.
• To make the citrus compote: Stir the orange peel, blossom water, and 2 tablespoons of accumulated juices from the segmented fruit in a small bowl to blend. Arrange the orange and grapefruit segments decoratively in a wide shallow bowl. Pour the blossom water mixture over. Cover and let stand 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
• Cut the cake into wedges and spoon the citrus compote alongside.

MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Make the syrup at least a day ahead. When ready, bring 3 cups water, sugar, honey, and cardamom to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, and syrup is reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Strain syrup, removing cardamom pods and seeds.
• When ready to make the cake, first, preheat oven to 350F, then brush 9" diameter springform pan with oil.
• Have two medium bowls and one large bowl set aside. In the first medium bowl, whisk both flours and the baking powder, ground cardamom, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
• Using an electric mixer with the large bowl, beat 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil for 1 minute. Beat in yolks, then add the flour mixture. Beat in yogurt, zest, and extracts.
• In the other medium bowl and using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until firm peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter just to blend, in 2 portions. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Pierce hot cake all over with a thin metal skewer. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup warm syrup all over. When syrup is absorbed, slowly pour 3/4 cup more syrup over. Reserve remaining syrup to use during serving.
• Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Sprinkle almonds over. Cut into wedges and serve drizzled with more syrup.

MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE OIL, ORANGE, AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together wet ingredients plus sugar and zest.
• add dry ingredients (reserving the marmalade and almond slivers).
• bake 30 minutes at 375°F.
• When unmoulded, melt the marmalade and spread over the cake.
• Toast the almonds briefly in a dry skillet and distribute on top of the cake.