Seasonal Baking in Winter
“It ballooned in great dark rolls above, and beneath it drew a long trailing skirt of rain, and as they looked the cloud rumbled and flashed fire. Borne on the wind, the cloudburst drummed hollowly on the fat wet hills across the valley and moved out over the flat lands.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
It’s been raining, raining and raining, just what the central coast of California needs. So much rain that the drought is almost over. We had a break filled with sunshine and cold mornings but it will rain again. This is the winter we have wanted for the last three years and now that it is here we can breathe again. California will be fine.
Welcome to citrus season, an antidote for the dreary gray days of winter. Baking in winter can satisfy the craving for something new, fresh and in season. An avalanche of flavor is hiding in oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and lemons. I’ve had this recipe for Orange Scented Olive Oli Cake bookmarked since early December and just couldn’t let it slide away. Pastry chef and cookbook author Nick Malgieri’s recipe for Orange Scented Olive Oil Cake is easy to make and bright with seasonal flavor. Every slice is packed with sunny citrus goodness.
Seek out the pure olive oil that the recipe recommends. The pure olive oil is mellower than extra virgin, and won’t overpower the delicate orange flavor of this wonderful winter cake. Whipped cream is extra and entirely unnecessary unless looking for something fancy that will brighten any winter event. This includes a well deserved afternoon coffee or tea break. Unless there are plans for the oranges after zesting, serving with orange slices is a must.
I used an Angel Food pan instead of two, 9” pans with wonderful results. I imagine this recipe would also work in any tube or Bundt pan. For one cake, instead of two, increase baking time by five – ten minutes. The cake holds well, wrapped tightly, it will keep for several days at room temperature. This bright and sunny cake is just what we need to keep the winter blues away.
I’ve always wanted to make an olive oil and now that I see this ORANGE olive oil cake, I know where I’m going to start. Thanks for flagging this recipe for us and showing what a perfect cake it makes. Can’t wait to make!
Thank you MJ! This is a scrumptious orange cake!
Deb, I have a dear friend who just loves olive oil cakes. Making this cake for her would be such a wonderful surprise. Thanks for a sweet little ray of sunshine while we out-wait the California rains.
Thank you for the #CitrusLove Mary! It’s raining again!
Perfect timing! A friend just gave me a bottle of some of the best olive oil I’ve tasted in a while, from her trip to Italy. I’ll have to put the salads on hold and make this scrumptious cake. LOVE citrus season!
This is a wonderful cake for mild olive oil! Thank you Jacquee.
The cake looks absolutely moist and soft. I love everything orange and your pictures make me want to grab a slice out of my monitor right now 🙂 Great recipe!
Thank you Yi!
Your cake looks like sunshine and must taste very good. I love simple desserts like this.
Thank you Karen! It’s a scrumptious cake!
Beautiful, Deb! Your sunshine cake looks like the bright and soothing balm we all need this winter.
Thank you Laura! Citrus season is the best!
I love the smell of oranges and clementines in winter, so there is nothing better than zesting them for a recipe. I bet this smells good while baking! 🙂 Hope your sunshine returns soon!
Thank you Cathy! Citrus season is a personal favorite!
Beautiful! That’s all I can say!
Thank you Mimi! It’s a scrumptious cake and easy to make too.
I really crave citrus at this time of the year. Good thing, since it’s so abundant! Don’t bake with it much for some reason, though. This cake reminds me of an orange spice cake my mother used to make, although hers definitely didn’t use olive oil (this is a recipe from the 50s, when I don’t think most people used olive oil for anything!). Really nice — thanks.
Thank you John! Mother nature takes care of us with the abundance of winter citrus. Its’ just whatt our sun light starved bodies crave.
Another beautifully written and photographed post Deb. Your cake looks divine. I am happy about all the rain we are getting.
Thank you Gerlinde! Your gracious comment brightened my day! (I always stress about the photos…)
Sorry to be such a stranger my friend. 2016 swallowed me whole and in some ways 2017 is trying to do the same but I am resisting :-)!!!! I LOVE this cake. I will definitely make it – cooking with olive oil and citrus just makes me happy and Nick’s recipes are great. I bought one of his books for my son. You should join our #ProgressiveEats group – I just started and guess what our theme was? Citrus. I made an orange anise challah bread. Your recipe would have been perfect for dessert! Yippee for the rain – that is one GREAT thing that has happened this year. And I am grateful for it.
So good to hear from you Beth! I know what you mean about being “swallowed up”, life just keeps happening!
Hi Deb,
I have a very similar recipe – called Moroccan orange cake and everyone enjoys it. Sometimes I use loaf pans when I want to serve it with tea.
Your pictures are lovely.
Thank you Andy! Moroccan Orange Cake sounds so enticing! I adore citrus desserts.
Oh my, I’m craving this lovely confection right now! Will have to try it soon.
Thank you Carol! This is a wonderful olive oil cake, a perfect winter dessert.
It looks like a sunshine! So moist and aromatic.
Thank you Denise! Oranges do remind us of sunshine!