Such seasonal delights, I love blood oranges! Their colour, their tang, their versatility, I always make sure to have a box of them on my kitchen bench this time of year!
The box doesn’t last long though as we enjoy them as juice and then I make a couple of batches of blood orange marmalade to use on my Christmas ham and to give as presents for loved ones…ok and yes, I always manage to get a couple of bakes in too.
The inspiration for this bake came from squeezing a glass of blood orange juice for my daughter when she was feeling a little under the weather – it was such a lovely maroonish colour that I wondered how it would look as part of a glaze…and what better way to show a glaze off than in a bundt cake!
The Nordic Ware bundt pans are simply brilliant (for the record I am not being paid or sponsored in any way here – I just use them all the time and find they always turn out the perfect bundt) and there are so many designs to choose from the range which is sold at Williams Sonoma or any good kitchenware store! The one I used here is the Vintage pan and it was perfect!
Made with olive oil instead of butter, the cake itself is really delicious and one of those cakes that could easily become breakfast the next day! It is moist, light and, even better, really simple to make!
Seeing as though citrus fruits can be eaten by those on a low fodmap diet, I have also trialled this recipe with a low fodmap flour and it has worked a treat! All you do is substitute the 2 cups of plain flour with 2 cups of a low fodmap alternative…too easy!
With the season for these oranges still in full swing, I really hope you give the recipe a go…
Serves: 6Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white caster sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon blood orange zest
- ¼ cup blood orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- 1 cup icing sugar mixure, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons blood orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C. Generously grease a 10 cup bundt tin. Sprinkle the demerara sugar about the tin and set aside.
- Beat the olive oil and caster sugar for 5 minutes on a medium speed or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs in one at a time, beating for about a minute after each addition. Add the zest, juice and vanilla bean paste and beat again.
- In the meantime, sift the flour, baking powder, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Drop the mixer to the lower speed and add one third of the flour mixture. Add one half of the milk, then add the second third of the flour, the final half of milk and end with the final third of flour. Beat just until the flour has been incorporated (be careful not to overmix).
- Place the batter in the tin and pop in the oven to bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before placing the cake on a wire rack (top side up) to completely cool.
- Place the cake on its serving plate and make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with 3 tablespoons of blood orange juice. If you believe the glaze is too thick, add one teaspoon of extra juice at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Drizzle the cake with the glaze and allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes in order for the glaze to set. Cut into slices and serve.
