Orange Almond Olive Oil Pound Cake
When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, orange cakes were quite popular. Today, you don’t see them as much, which is a pity because they are delightful.
This updated version contains fragrant orange blossom water, which adds a sophisticated element. If you can find it, use it, otherwise, I give instructions below for using almond extract.
This cake is also deliciously moist thanks to a glaze that is poured over it shortly after the cake has come out of the oven. This cake stays moist for days and days. Orange blossom water can be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores, or online. If you can’t find it, use almond extract.
They key to this cake is to gradually add each ingredient. Be patient and you will be rewarded.
Makes one round pound cake
1 2/3 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges (don’t skimp)
4 eggs
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup orange juice
1 tbsp orange blossom water, or ¼ tsp almond extract
1 cup full-fat sour cream
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour, or ground almonds
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Glaze
2/3 cup sieved orange juice (no pulp)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp orange blossom water
Orange Icing
2 cups lightly packed icing sugar
4 tbsp + ½ tsp sieved orange juice
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an angel food cake pan with removable bottom, or a Bundt pan.
In a mixer bowl, combine sugar and the orange zest. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed so the orange zest can release its oils and infuse the sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time, and then beat them on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. The batter will lighten, thicken and increase in volume.
Reduce speed to lowest setting and gradually add the oil (don’t add all at once or you’ll deflate the air incorporated into the eggs). Gradually add the orange juice followed by the orange blossom water or almond extract.
Add the sour cream all at once and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the flour-almond mixture ½ cup at a time, incorporating each ½ cup before adding the next.
Scrape the bowl and stir to ensure everything is mixed and then transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake about 55-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the 2/3 cup orange juice and 1/3 cup sugar in a large measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the orange blossom water. Prick the cake all over with a toothpick. Pour over ½ the glaze. Wait 5 minutes and then pour over the rest of the glaze. Let stand for 3-4 hours, or ideally overnight.
Loosen cake from the pan and transfer to a cake plate (present the one baked in the angel food cake pan top up, the Bundt pan top side down). Whisk the icing ingredients until smooth and the consistency of thick buttermilk. Pour over the cake, letting the icing run down the sides. Decorate as desired.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.