Diary of a Secret Housewife: Minneola Olive Oil Cake

I woke up the other day with an inexplicable craving for marmalade.  Alas, we had all types of jams and preserves hibernating in our fridge, but no marmalade.  But we happened to have a dozen minneolas, and . . . well, when life hands you minneolas, make olive oil cake.

I used Smitten Kitchen's recipe for Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake, which was introduced to me by my aunt Cheryl.  The result is a tangy, light, but flavorful cake that is fine on its own but particularly scrumptious toasted and drizzled with citrus-inflected honey.  It's like summer in a loaf pan.

Here's what you need:


Butter for greasing pan
3 minneolas (regular oranges or blood oranges will work too)
1 cup (200 grams or 7 ounces) sugar
Scant 1/2 cup (118 ml) buttermilk or plain yogurt
3 large eggs
2/3 cup (156 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups (219 grams or 7 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Honey minneola compote, for serving (optional, below)
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Grate zest from 2 minneolas and place in a bowl with sugar. Using your fingers, rub ingredients together until zest is evenly distributed in sugar.

Supreme a minneola: Cut off bottom and top so fruit is exposed and can stand upright on a cutting board. Cut away peel and pith, following curve of fruit with your knife. Cut segments out of their connective membranes and let them fall into a bowl. Repeat with another minneola. Break up segments with your fingers to about 1/4-inch pieces.

Halve remaining minneola and squeeze juice into a measuring cup; you’ll will have about 1/4 cup. Add buttermilk or yogurt to juice until you have 2/3 cup liquid altogether. Pour mixture into bowl with sugar and whisk well. Whisk in eggs and olive oil.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir dry ingredients into wet ones.  [Note: I didn't do a thorough enough job of mixing the ingredients and parts of my cake came out tasting very flour-y. Blech. Don't make my mistake; really incorporate the dry ingredients completely into the wet ingredients.]  Fold in pieces of minneola segments. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until it is golden and a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool to room temperature right-side up. Serve with whipped cream and compote (below), if desired.

Honey Minneola Compote: Supreme 3 more minneolas according to directions above. Drizzle in 1 to 2 teaspoons honey. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently.

When ready to serve, cut cake into small slices and toast gently in oven until the edges are caramelized.  Drizzle on the honey citrus compote.  Find a hammock (or imagine a hammock).  Enjoy an early taste of summer.