Sicilian Orange Salted Olive Oil Cake

Sicilian Orange Salted Olive Oil Cake

2 oranges

2 1/3 cups sugar, divided

butter, for greasing the pan

2 1/2 cups flour, + more for pan

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. Grand Marinier liqueur

4 eggs

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

¹⁄₄ cup sugared orange water syrup**

¹⁄₄ cup powdered sugar

coarse sea salt, for garnish

**See instructions below

 

Trim about ¹⁄₂” from the tops and bottoms of oranges; quarter oranges lengthwise. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan; add oranges. 
Bring water back to a boil; drain. 
Repeat the boiling process twice more with fresh water. 
Put oranges, 1 cup sugar, and 4 cups water into a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and the orange rind can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. 
Remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. 
Reserve the sugared orange water to reduce it into a syrup.

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

 

Grease a 10″ round cake pan (or three smaller pans) with butter and dust with flour; line pan bottom with parchment paper cut to fit.

 

Set pan aside. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. 
Remove orange quarters from sugared orange water, remove and discard any seeds, and put oranges into the bowl of a high-speed blender (Vitamix). 
Process until oranges into a smooth purée. Add remaining sugar, reserved flour mixture, vanilla, Grand Mariner, and eggs and process until incorporated, about 2 minutes. 
Add olive oil; process until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.

 

In a small saucepan, reduce the remaining sugared orange water by at least 1/2, in order to create about 1/4 cup total. 
Add powdered sugar to make a thin glaze.
Remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a cake stand or plate. 

Using a pastry brush, brush orange glaze over the top and sides of the cake. Let the cake(s) cool completely.

 

Garnish with coarse sea salt.

 

Serve with a tangy honey yogurt and additional olive oil.