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Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Rosemary Cake with Candied Blood Oranges Recipe

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4.3 from 6 reviews

A moist and flavorful chocolate olive oil cake infused with fresh rosemary and topped with candied blood oranges, combining rich cocoa notes with the fragrant herb and a vibrant citrus sweetness.

Ingredients

Candied Oranges

  • 400 ml (1 + ⅔ cup) water
  • 300 g (1 + ½ cups) caster sugar
  • 3 blood oranges, thinly sliced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Cake

  • 3 large eggs
  • 130 g (⅔ cup) caster sugar
  • 130 g (⅔ cup + 1 tbsp) light brown soft sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250 g (1 + ¾ + ⅓ cup) plain flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 75 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) cacao or cocoa powder
  • 200 ml (½ + ⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 70 ml (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) full fat milk
  • 1 tbsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Make the candied oranges: Place the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange slices and rosemary sprig, then bring up to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes, turning the orange slices occasionally to ensure even submersion. The peel should become tender and translucent. Carefully remove the orange slices and lay them on baking parchment to cool, reserving the syrup.
  2. Prepare the cake tin and oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F or gas mark 4). Grease a deep, 23 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients: Using an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is thick and pale. Then whisk in the vanilla extract for added aroma.
  4. Combine dry ingredients and incorporate: In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Sift these into the wet egg mixture. Fold gently until the batter starts to become thick and gungy.
  5. Add olive oil, milk, rosemary, and salt: Fold in the olive oil, full fat milk, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and salt to the batter. Continue folding carefully until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  6. Bake the cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes. To check doneness, insert a skewer into the center; it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. A clean skewer indicates overbaking.
  7. Glaze the cake with syrup: Once out of the oven, poke a few holes in the top of the cake using a skewer, then brush generously with at least 4 tbsp of the reserved candied orange syrup. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the tin.
  8. Cool and remove cake: Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely. Optionally, brush the cake again with additional syrup for extra moisture and flavor.
  9. Decorate and serve: Once cooled, place the cake on a serving platter. Arrange the candied blood orange slices on top, drizzle with some extra syrup from the reserved batch, and serve.

Notes

  • Be careful not to overbake the cake to maintain its moist texture.
  • The candied orange syrup can be stored and used as a glaze or drizzle on other desserts.
  • Finely chopping the rosemary ensures it blends well without overpowering the cake.
  • The cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, refrigerated.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute milk with almond or oat milk.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/chocolate-olive-oil-and-rosemary-cake-with-candied-blood-oranges-recipe/