Sicilian Salted Olive Oil Orange Cake

Sicily is the land of citrus fruit.  They make liquors, granitas and plenty of desserts.  One of my favorite one of these is the orange olive oil cake.  This cake is a bit time consuming, but simple and really interesting.  It is perhaps in more of a coffee cake style, perfection achieved with a bit of orange scented whipped cream on top, easily made with a sprinkling of orange blossom water and orange zest into cream and whipping it as normal.

The best thing about Sicilian cuisine is the incredible blending of indigenous Sicilian cooking styles and ingredients with the imported styles and ingredients from the Arab traders that imparted their influence.  In fact, a majority of the ingredients that currently form the backbone of this cuisine were brought to the island in the 10th and 11th centuries during the Arab period of regional domination.

The cake benefits from two typical items from Sicily : olive oil and candied fruit.  The olive oil is used as both a flavor enhancer and the source of much of the richness.  The candied fruit is the basis of the flavor for the cake, and is made from fresh oranges that are repeatedly blanched to remove the bitterness, then cooked in sugar water until they are soft and sweet.

I borrowed as I often do from Saveur Magazine for the base of the recipe, but I added my own twist to suit my taste, and bring in a more middle eastern influence to the cake with the addition of orange blossom water and additional spices.  Saffron, a spice from the Arabic world adds color and an earthy flavor that really enhances the cake.  The first time I made this I stuck closer to the original recipe and it did not have the same level of complexity.  Saffron is an expensive spice, but works in so many types of dishes, I recommend always having a small amount on hand.  Cinnamon is another spice from the Arab world that brings a slight hint of spice to the cake.  Only a small pinch is used to prevent the overwhelming of the primary ingredient.

The cake does have a glaze made of orange juice and confectioners sugar wit ha heavy does again of the orange blossom, but it also has Sicilian Sea Salt sprinkled over the top for a nice contrast and crunch.  I do recommend not putting as much on as I did in the photo, as it was a bit overwhelming to some tasters.

For a more authentic Sicilian cake, you can use Blood Oranges, however the color would be quite different.  Try it with lemoncello.

Recipe: Sicilian Salted Olive Oil Cake

3 Very Ripe Naval Oranges or 5 Blood Oranges
2 1/2 cups of sugar
2 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 eggs
6 Tablespoons or 3/8 cups of Extra Virgin olive oil, preferably from Sicily
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons of Orange Blossom Water
small pinch of freshly grated cinnamon
small pinch of saffron (4-5 strands), dissolved into a tablespoon of orange juice (optional)

Cut ends off of 2 naval or 3-4 blood oranges, cut into quarters lengthwise, remove all seeds and using an adequate amount of water to cover the oranges, bring to a boil.  Drain and repeat twice more with new water each time.  Juice the remaining oranges to get about 1/4 cup of juice.  In a pan, add 4 cups of water, 1 1/4 cups of sugar and the orange slices, cook over medium high heat stirring often until the peels can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.  Set aside and let cool to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Grease a cake pan with butter and flour.  Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.   Mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.  Using a food processor, pulse candied orange slices for about 10-12 pulses, or until it forms a chunky paste.  Add sugar, eggs, spices and saffron if using.  Incorporate in the food processor.  Add olive oil and pulse.  Add as much of the flour mixture as possible, transferring to the bowl and incorporating the rest of the flour as needed.  Pour into pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes. 

Whisk orange blossom water, orange juice and confectioner's sugar together in a small bowl.  Brush glaze over cake.  Sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt on top.