Happy Birthday – I made you an Olive Oil Cake

I’m pretty sure the person this is intended for is going to read my whole post, so he will have to read to the end to see if this is for him. I over-baked this and He’ll understand what two things got in my way. But my little tester cake was perfection, so trust me.

I have wanted to make an olive oil cake for a long time. I’m not a big dessert eater. I like things “not so sweet” and I think the person this is for probably feels the same way I do. We are both food bloggers. And, we take a lot of pride in our cooking, and a bit less in our baking. I think maybe we don’t want some grand dessert overshadowing our meal, but I’ll just speak for myself on this.

This is, of course, a flavorful, moist cake that would be quite suitable to dress up for a party with fresh raspberries or perhaps include in your next brunch. Feel free to play around with the ingredients, and if you do, I would love to hear about it.

This is a perfect “get to know you with coffee” cake, or maybe even a “I’m so glad we met” cake. Now who is this for? A blogger I was getting to know prior to the food buzz festival and had hoped to get to know better in person. I got my wish. Now it’s his turn to make a wish.

Happy Birthday, Greg, of Sippity Sup, one of my favorite bloggers and friend. Here’s a toast from sparkling wine tasting at Food Buzz Festival.

Cooking Notes: I looked at several recipes and created this with the intention of using some precious Stonehouse blood orange olive oil, but you could use regular olive oil, and instead of oranges, you can certainly use lemon. You might even add some thyme or tarragon (just a small amount) as a surprise. Instead of orange juice, add 1 tablespoon orange liquor, Marsala wine, or rum. It’s the kind of cake you can play around with.

Post Note: A lot of people are worried that the olive oil would be too heavy either in taste or texture. Not so. The cake’s flavor was amazing and it is not a “oily” taste.

Recipe for Olive Oil Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• zest of and juice of half of blood orange (can use any orange)
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt
• 3/4 cups blood orange olive oil *
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Be prepared to allow yogurt and eggs to sit to room temperature.
   Add zest to sugar. Use your hands to thoroughly mix.
2. Mix yogurt with juice of orange. Allow to sit to room temperature.
   In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs, add sugar until creamy.
   Add in yogurt, olive oil.
4. Add flour mixture, until just mixed.
5. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes in deep pan that has a removable bottom.
   Allow to completely cool before removing.

*Create a flavored olive oil, by allowing the peel of a blood orange to sit in olive oil overnight.