Adapted by #FullPlateByJay from a recipe by Alice Medrich found in a Food52 post from Oct. 2014
Gorgeous with a hint of citrus and herb. It’s a subtle, flavorful cake that’s not overly sweet. The pound cake texture (and flavor) actually improves over a day or two. This recipe makes two large loaves, or three smaller gift-sized loaves.
Ingredients
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder + 1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup Monte Bellaria di California extra virgin olive oil (or your favorite, highest-quality extra virgin olive oil…since it’s the star of the show here)*
5 cold eggs
2 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
½ tsp. fresh thyme, very finely chopped
1 cup medium-bodied California sherry (amontillado-style or light-dry sherry)
- - -
½ cup orange marmalade
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. sherry
½ tsp. fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
Instructions / Method
Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Generously butter and lightly flour two 5- to 6-cup loaf pans or spray them with non-stick spray and then line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda, and salt thoroughly; then sift together onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
Pour the sugar into a large mixing bowl. Grate the zest into the bowl along with the finely chopped herbs. Using your fingers, rub the sugar and zest together until the mixture is moist and aromatic. Add the oil and using your electric mixer, beat until well blended. Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the mixture is thick and pale; 4 - 5 minutes.
Stop the mixer and add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Stop the mixer and add half of the sherry**. Beat just until blended. Repeat with another third of the flour, followed by the remaining sherry; and then the remaining flour.
I wish you could smell the kitchen! These loaves are ready to come out of the oven… and get drizzled with a glaze to keep them moist, and given them a little crunch.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean—50 to 60 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans set on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a clean, sharp knife around the sides of the pans to release the cakes. Invert the pans…then invert again to set the cakes right side up on a rack to cool completely.
For the glaze: Bring the marmalade, lemon juice, sherry, and rosemary to a boil. Brush the glaze over the top of the warm cake, and allow to it to set for 2 hours. The glaze will remain slightly tacky.
Serve sliced, dusted with powdered sugar, then topped with whipped cream that you’ve subtly flavored with marmalade.
Notes
For an over-the-top dessert: oven-toast slices (or pan fry in butter / olive oil until a light-golden brown crust forms); apply a very-thin smear of orange marmalade; top with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream; drizzle a little Monte Bellaria di California olive oil; lightly sprinkle with your best sea salt.
NOTE: For holiday gift giving…consider drizzling the cakes each day for a week with a little bit of sherry — much as you would with a rum cake — then wrap tightly with parchment before gathering decorative cellophane around it and tying with holiday ribbon for the final, festive touch ).
* NOTE: If you’re worried about an olive oil flavor that’s too grassy or too herbaceous just use ½ cup regular olive oil and 1/2 cup of your best extra virgin olive oil.
** NOTE: If you’re making this cake for non-drinking friends, of if you’re out of sherry, replace the cup of sherry with ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, and ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice — the citrus should be from California, naturally!