Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup orange liqueur, rum, brandy or whisky
- 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling pans
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons anise seed
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 tablespoons lemon or orange marmalade
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil 2 (10-inch) round cake pans.
In a nonreactive saucepan, reduce the orange juice over medium heat to 1/4 cup. Add salt, stir, and let cool.
Lightly beat eggs with paddle attachment in standing mixer on high for 1 minute until frothy. Add milk, sugar, liqueur, olive oil, reduced orange juice, lemon zest, anise and 1 teaspoon rosemary. Mix for 1 minute until well blended. Mix in the flour, baking soda and baking powder until well blended and smooth.
Pour half of the mixture into each oiled cake pan. Bake for 1 hour. Place on a rack to cool. Run a knife around the edges and place it on a plate. While the cake is still warm, smooth 3 tablespoons of marmalade onto the top of each cake. Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary evenly over both cakes. Garnish center with rosemary sprig. Cut each cake into wedges and serve.
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Read all 17 reviews
By phillygal711
PA
on December 04, 2011
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Wow - I thought I was in Italy! I made 1/2 the recipe because my family aren't cake eaters, and even my "no thanks - don't want any cake" husband loved it! I decreased the sugar and olive oil per recommendations and cooked it for 37 minutes in my convection oven in a springform pan. Perfect - will def. be making again- thanks Michael!
By meghnash007_9689506
Potomac falls, VA
on February 22, 2011
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I read all the reviews and followed the instructions to cut the amount of sugar to 1.5 cups and olive oil to 1 cup. It was a hit at work.
By lewahine_12873534
Sonoma, 43
on May 17, 2010
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I was a tad skeptical about this recipe, but the reviews convinced me to give it a try. The orange, rosemary, anise and olive oil combine to give this cake a flavor that totally took me back to Firenze , buying groceries at the Sant'Ambrogio market and stopping on the way home for a cappuci'o & a dolce. Exremely moist and dense, this cake can be served with or without some freshly whipped cream. I liked it without the accompaniment, but my husband liked the extra dollop o' love.
After reading the reviews about how the cake stuck to the pan, I used 2 springforms, lining the bottoms with parchment. The cake came out no problem.
This is a cake that can keep for a few days without drying out and still retain its flavor and texture.
Read all 17 reviews