Blood Orange & Almond Olive Oil Cake

This cake is like a citrusy, sticky biscotti with the sweet orange topping, crunchy almonds, and the most moist olive oil cake.

I used a mix of blood orange and navel oranges for a prettier pattern, but you can use any sort of orange citrus. This is one of my favorite desserts to make, not because it’s actually gorgeous and impressive looking, but the taste is UNMATCHED. Using olive oil in my baking is one of my favorite ways to get a richer, moister texture. I thought almonds and almond extract would pair so nicely with both the olive oil and the orange.

Blood Orange & Almond Olive Oil Cake

ingredients:

candied oranges:

• 2 cups water

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 oranges & 2 blood oranges

almond olive oil cake:

• 2/3 cups sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 2 tbsp orange juice (from the candied orange steps)

• 1 tbsp orange zest

• 1/8 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

toppings:

• whipped cream

• toasted almond slices

directions:

1. first make the candied orange slices. in a saucepan, heat the water and stir in the sugar once it starts to simmer.

2. slice the ends of the 4 oranges and put them aside to use for the cake portion of the recipe. start to slice your oranges thin. not so thin they are basically transparent, but these can NOT be thick in the slightest bc you’re eating the peel. Only use the nice big slices in the middle of the fruit.

3. once the sugar and water start to simmer on low, add in your orange slices. cook for 15 minutes.

4. preheat the oven to 345 and prepare your springform pan. cut a circle of parchment paper to put at the bottom of the pan and grease the sides.

5. once the oranges are done being candied, arrange them in a circle starting from the middle and layer in a spiral around the pan. it’s ok to have some of the sugar syrup go in the pan with them too. It helps make it nice and sticky.

6. now start with the batter. In a big bowl, whisk the sugar with the eggs and salt until it’s light and fluffy.

7. while mixing, slowly add the olive oil.

8. add in vanilla extract, almond extract, the oranges juices, orange zest and baking soda.

9. sift in the flour the the baking powder. fold and incorporate it with the wet ingredients with a spatula.

10. add in the sliced almonds and fold into the batter.

11. pour the batter over the oranges in your pan and bake for 35 minutes.

12. let cool before removing the springform and flipping it over onto a dish.

13. serve with roasted almonds on top and whipped cream!

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