Citrus Olive Oil Cake
A little slice of sunshine
Back in November, I teased you with a glimpse of my long-lost recipe folder from my pastry chef days at Coco Pazzo (more than 30 years ago!). A few of you spied some things you wanted to see here. To be honest, the recipe I have really been wanting to revisit for years now is this citrus and olive oil cake. I had searched for the recipe on a few occasions, but couldn’t find it until Steve forced me to go through some of my bins in the basement last fall.
This cake was always on the menu at Coco Pazzo, and I served it with a citrus salad macerated in Grand Marnier, which soaked into the cake. It was refreshing and rich at the same time.
I’ve tasted more than one olive oil cake that was heavy and greasy, but this cake is anything but. It is redolent with citrus flavor, and the fruitiness of the olive oil really shines through without overpowering. The toasted almonds add even more flavor, and the texture is light and fluffy. I am in love again.
Of course I had to tweak the recipe a bit. The original used 2 lemons and 2 oranges, hence the name “citrus,” but when I tasted it, I thought it might be too bitter for some people. I rather like it, but I changed the recipe to use 3 oranges instead for a milder orange flavor with no trace of bitterness.
That said, if you love that slightly bitter tang, go for it! It won’t affect the recipe much if the amount of citrus peel varies a bit, so you could use 2 oranges and 1 lemon, or, even better, 2 oranges and 2 Meyer lemons for you California folks. We were getting bagged Meyer lemons in the supermarket here for a few years, but I haven’t seen them here on the East coast this year or last. The still-lemony-but-less-bitter flavor of Meyer lemons would be perfect here. Update: I made this one more time with 3 navel oranges and 1 Meyer lemon I found in the fridge— delicious!
I also decided to add a topping to the cake to jazz it up a little. It looks pretty, and adds flavor and crunch. A few months ago, my friend Adam Roberts (aka The Amateur Gourmet) made Nancy Silverton’s (an even older friend) orange olive oil cake, and I loved the way the sugary topping looked, so I borrowed that idea for today’s cake. Thanks Adam and Nancy! Nancy’s recipe has pine nuts on top, but since this cake has almonds in it, it was not a difficult decision to add those to the top. The rosemary adds a special flavor that’s really harmonious.
I kind of remember making this cake as a loaf at Coco Pazzo, and I probably did, but commercial pans are a little bigger than the “standard” size of 8 by 4 inches. As I recreated this recipe for you, I tried it in my loaf pan and it overflowed, but just a little bit. So, if you do want a loaf cake and you have a slightly bigger pan, it should be fine. If you only have a standard pan, just scoop out about 2 muffins worth and bake those in a muffin tin; you’ll have a “taster” if you want to keep the cake whole for serving later. Muffins will be done in about 15 or 20 minutes. The loaf pan should be about 3/4 full, not filled right to the top like mine was. A loaf will take about 50 to 55 minutes to bake, until a toothpick comes out clean.
I used a 9-inch springform for this recipe, but you could also bake it in an 8-inch springform for a deeper cake, or even in a tube pan (preferably with a removable bottom like an angel food cake pan). Timing will vary slightly for any of these, so just test when the top looks golden brown. A toothpick should come out mostly clean, with a few crumbs clinging to it. Whatever you do, always make sure you place your cake pan on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment, just in case! Another update: I found a bigger loaf pan (9 by 5 inches) at my hardware store and it was the perfect size! If using a loaf pan, oil the pan and make a parchment paper sling so it’s easy to remove the cake.
This cake is easy to make, uses just a few ingredients, and is perfect for leaving on the counter for a few days for people to slice for themselves (you know the kind). Or, it can be dressed up to serve at a dinner party, as I plan to do this weekend. I’m thinking of adding some blood orange sorbet to the side for a not-too-evil dessert.
Enjoy!
Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Makes a 9-inch cake