Blood Orange and Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients Caramel and Orange Topping:· 1/2 cup sugar· 2 Tbsp water· 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces· 3-4 blood oranges (if you can't find blood oranges, you can use regular oranges)Cake:· 1 3/4 Cups all purpose flour· 1 Cup sugar· 1 tsp baking soda· 1/4 tsp. Salt· 2 eggs· 3/4 Cup orange juice (blood orange or regular)· 3/4 Cup Olive Oil· 2 tsp. orange zest· 1 tsp orange flower water (optional)
Directions:1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Zest the oranges and set zest aside. Peel and slice oranges into approximately 1/4 inch-thick slices.3. Generously oil bottom and sides of a 9×13 pan.4. Heat sugar and water in small saucepan over medium heat, scraping up any sugar from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, swirling occasionally, until caramel turns a dark amber color (this will take several minutes). Quickly take off the heat and add butter (it will foam up) and stir with a wooden spoon. Put back on medium heat for a few seconds, stirring. Quickly pour caramel into the prepared cake pan, tilting so it coats as evenly as you can get it. Caramel will harden. *Caramel is SERIOUSLY hot so be careful and for God’s sake don’t try to lick the spoon.* 5. Arrange the orange slices on top of the caramel, laying them out in a grid pattern.6. Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, orange juice, zest and orange flower water. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just mixed, being careful not to over-mix.7. Pour batter over oranges and bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.8. Allow to cool slightly in pan, and then flip upside down to finish cooling.Read more of Johanna's thoughts on food at: http://www.johannawrites.com