Winter is a time when we dream about warmth and sunshine. I try to get outside everyday — rain or shine — and hope that I can keep my Vitamin D level up during our long dark days. There’s a reason many folks leave the Pacific Northwest for parts south…Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, California, Mexico, etc. These are the places where most of our citrus fruit is grown. I especially look forward to fresh citrus so that I can at least dream about warm places.
Growing up in the Midwest, my parents often ordered Ruby Red grapefruit and oranges from a family farm in Texas. It was a treat to slowly peel the fruit and savor each section. Letting the juices get my hands sticky. Squeezing out every last drop of juice if I was given a half of a grapefruit for my breakfast as a child. Little did I know that it was bursting with Vitamin C that was helpful to my immune system. Citrus is also a good source of fiber, low on the glycemic index, good for our heart, full of potassium and helps keep us hydrated.
This cake combines citrus with heart-healthy olive oil and creates a very moist cake. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or as a dessert treat to bring sunshine to your table. To be honest, it’s even delicious for breakfast. Using the whole fruit provides all of the nutrients mentioned above. You can eat a slice of it almost guilt-free. Just remember not to eat the whole cake at once!
Whole Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
2 whole medium oranges or 1 medium orange and 1 lemon rind (use only the rind of lemon, after boiling)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups almond flour (blanched almonds finely ground also work)
5 large eggs
1/3 cup mild or fruity olive oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Wash and scrub the oranges and simmer them, unpeeled, in water to cover for 1 1/2 hours. (Alternatively, use a pressure cooker at high pressure for 15 minutes with one and a half cups of water. Natural release for 15 minutes and then remove the oranges.)
Cool, cut them open and remove the seeds.
Puree the oranges, including the peel, in a food processor.
Heat oven to 375° F.
Parchment-line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan and spray the bottom and sides with baking spray.
Beat the eggs in a food processor or large bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients, including the orange puree, you should have close to two cups.
Mix thoroughly.
Pour into the prepared cake pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, checking for browning at about 30 minutes.
Cover with foil if cake is browning too much.
Cool in the pan before turning out. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
The flavor will change towards sweeter the following day and can be made up to 3 days in advance. The cake also freezes well, pre-sliced.
— By Deborah Binder
Deborah Binder lives in Edmonds with her family. She loves to cook from scratch using produce from the gardens she created and maintains with her husband. She attended culinary school on the East Coast and focused on desserts, pastries and bread. She’s worked for restaurants and caterers in the front and back of the house (kitchen) on both coasts. Her current interest in food is learning to eat for health and wellness, while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the table. Deborah loves experimenting and developing new recipes. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation including butter.” Deborah can be contacted at [email protected].