Name: Citrus Olive Oil Cake
Yield: One 9-inch round cake, 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1½ cups all-purpose flour; ¾ cup sugar; 1½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one — you'll taste it); 3 large eggs; Zest of 2 oranges; Zest of 1 lemon; ¼ cup fresh orange juice; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; ½ cup whole milk or yogurt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; *Citrus Glaze (optional):**; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh citrus juice (orange, lemon, or a mix); 1 teaspoon orange zest

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

In the middle of winter, when the only fresh fruit in season is citrus, this cake is a bright spot. It's Mediterranean in spirit — olive oil replaces butter, giving the cake a moist, tender crumb and a subtle fruity depth. Loaded with orange and lemon zest, it tastes like sunshine in a cold month.

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (use a good one — you'll taste it)
3 large eggs
Zest of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup whole milk or yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*Citrus Glaze (optional):**
1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh citrus juice (orange, lemon, or a mix)
1 teaspoon orange zest

Method

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, eggs, orange zest, lemon zest, orange juice, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined — don't overmix.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden on top, firm to the touch, and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
If glazing: whisk the powdered sugar and citrus juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake. Scatter orange zest on top.
*Storage:** Covered at room temperature for 4 days. The olive oil keeps it moist longer than a butter cake.
*Seasonal note:** This cake is a reminder that even winter has its treasures. Blood oranges, Meyer lemons, tangerines, grapefruit — they're all at their peak when nothing else is. Use whatever citrus you can find. Blood orange gives the cake a gorgeous pink tinge. Meyer lemons add a floral sweetness. Mix and match freely.