OLIVE OIL CAKE, MY WAY

Orange, saffron and Sherry are the subtle flavors in this olive oil cake. 

There are loads of recipes for olive oil cake out there. But, as someone as dedicated to cooking with olive oil as I am, I wanted my own cake. 

Traditional Spanish home cooking has myriad pastries and other sweets using olive oil. Think Andalusia’s famous frutas de la sartén (“fruits of the frying pan”) such as pestiños, or anise-spiked cookies such as tortas de aceite. But cakes, not so much. I wanted to create a cake with a real Spanish accent.

Beyond olive oil itself, what could be more Spanish than oranges or saffron or Sherry? Putting them all together, I came up with this gorgeous cake that can go plain or fancy. Serve it simply, with fruit, for breakfast, or split it into layers and tart it up with a favorite frosting for special occasions. For a birthday celebration at my house, I served the cake with an easy orange marmalade pouring sauce.

Serve the cake plain or fancy.

Orange blossoms for a springtime touch. Use orange flower water in the cake too.

Serve with orange wedges---

or with orange marmalade pouring sauce---

or with strawberries. Breakfast? Maybe it needs a dollop of Greek yogurt?

Olive oil makes a moist cake that keeps well.

Orange-Saffron-Sherry Olive Oil Cake
Bizcocho de Naranja con Azafrán y Vino de Jerez

What oil to use? Any extra virgin olive oil is fine. The Arbequina variety, usually from Catalonia, is exceptionally mild, slightly almondy. Manchegan Cornicabra is noticeably spicy when picked early and sweet for late harvest oil. Picual from Jaén has a peppery edge. Hojiblanca from Málaga is fruity. The olive oil I use is not single-varietal, but a blending of several extra virgins produced in Andalusia.

Use any Sherry you prefer. I used a dry fino, but a medium-dry or even sweet Sherry would work too. If you use sweet Sherry, you might want to decrease the amount of sugar.

Zest from one orange.

One large orange makes the quantity of zest and juice called for in the recipe. Orange-flower water is an optional addition. You can buy the fragrant distilled flavoring ingredient in small bottles. Or, if you happen to have orange trees in bloom, try infusing them in the hot milk with the saffron. 

If you can get it, use saffron with denominación de origin La Mancha, Spain. (Most saffron, even in Spain, comes from Iran.) Crush the threads of saffron, then infuse them in hot milk before incorporating in the cake batter.

Measure saffron threads.

Measure saffron threads loosely (1/2 teaspoon), then crush them in a mortar or in a small bowl with the butt end of a knife. 

Saffron, Sherry, orange juice.

½ cup milk
½ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups sugar
4 medium eggs
1/3 cup dry Sherry
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange flower water (agua azahar) (optional)
Confectioner’s sugar
Orange segments, to serve (optional)
Orange Marmalade Sauce to serve (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan and line it with baking parchment. 

Place the milk in a microwave-safe cup and heat on medium-high in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the crushed saffron and orange zest to the hot milk and allow to cool.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and soda.

In a mixing bowl beat together the oil and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs one by one. Beat in the saffron-milk, Sherry, orange juice and orange flower water, if using. 

Fold in the dry ingredients and mix well. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. 

Cool cake before removing from pan.

Set the cake on a rack to cool completely before removing it from the pan. Place it on a platter to serve. Sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar. Decorate the cake with orange segments, if desired. Serve sauce alongside.

Orange Marmalade Pouring Sauce
Salsa de Mermelada de Naranja

Easy pouring sauce, for cakes or fruit compote--orange marmalade and cream.

½ cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons Sherry
½ cup heavy cream

Place the marmelade and Sherry in a saucepan. Heat to melt the marmelade. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the sauce is reduced by one-quarter, about 5 minutes. 

Allow the sauce to cool before pouring in a small pitcher for serving. 

A different sort of cake with Sherry: Tipsy Cake.

More cakes and cookies with olive oil:

Apple-Almond Olive Oil Crumble.

Quince and Ginger Olive Oil Cake.

Olive Oil Carrot Cake.

Pear Cake with Olive Oil.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake.

Almond Torte.

Crispy Olive Oil Cookies.

Sweet Potato Buns.

Honey-Glazed Buns.

Orange Blossom Sauce.

Happy Birthday, Benjamin.