Bright and citrusy, this Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake is a stunning dessert that celebrates the season’s most vibrant fruit. Made with Caputo “00” Baking Flour, the crumb bakes up exceptionally light and delicate, perfectly balancing the richness of extra-virgin olive oil and creamy Greek yogurt. A layer of jewel-toned candied blood oranges melts into the top as the cake bakes, creating a glossy, fragrant finish that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Served warm or at room temperature, this elegant cake delivers the perfect blend of sweet citrus flavor and refined simplicity.
Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
Candied Oranges
- 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (360 grams) water
- 3 medium blood oranges (540 grams), sliced 3/16 inch thick
Batter
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (6 grams) blood orange zest (about 2 large oranges)
- ½ cup (113 grams) Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups Caputo “00” Baking Flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (120 grams) plain whole Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) fresh blood orange juice, room temperature
Instructions
- For candied oranges: In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and 1½ cups (360 grams) water to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Stir in orange slices, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until orange rind has softened, about 30 minutes.
- Top a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Using a slotted spoon, remove oranges from pan, and place in a single layer on rack. Let oranges and syrup in pan cool to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
- Place candied orange slices in a single layer in bottom of prepared pan, cutting oranges as needed to fully cover pan. (You may not need to use all orange slices.) Gently press orange slices to flatten them.
- For batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs, sugar, and orange zest at high speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a slow, steady stream, beating until combined. Beat in vanilla. 6. In a medium bowl, whisk together Caputo “00” Baking Flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In another medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and orange juice. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Gently spread batter onto oranges in pan.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes, covering with foil after 35 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
- Carefully invert cake onto a serving platter, and gently remove parchment. Lightly brush cooled reserved syrup onto oranges. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate remaining syrup and any remaining orange slices in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Pro Tip: Add leftover syrup to hot or iced tea, brush onto cakes or breads, or shake into a cocktail. Chop candied oranges into a fruit salad, serve with yogurt, oatmeal, or ice cream, or stir into cake or quick bread batter.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
So full of flavor, moist and delicious.
This is a delicious cake! It’s a simple recipe that delivers on flavor and a moist cake. The only thing that I wish I would’ve done is layered the candied oranges a little bit when I first put them in the bottom of the pan. The cake spreads a little bit when it bakes so I will definitely layer and add more oranges the next time I make this cake. The bake time was also a little bit long and I baked it about five minutes less than it was called for in the recipe. Other than that, it’s a fantastic cake!!