7 April 2009

Anna Olson's Orange Olive Oil Cake

Anna Olson's Orange Olive Oil Cake


I am sure you have all made something at one time or another that is a keeper. Something that you know you will make time and time again, something that is special enough to make for company, something that your friends ask for the recipe? This cake from Anna Olson is one of those things. I took a few pieces to work and now I will be making this cake once a month because a co-worker wants me to make him THIS cake and pay me for it. I am happy to oblige because I am happiest when I am creating in the kitchen...although it doesn't usually involve sugar and flour.

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the third installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:


Anna Olson


According to her website, Anna Olson is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. She moved with her family to the province of Ontario as a child and grew up in the Toronto area. She moved to the Niagara region in 1995. It was here that she met her husband and business partner Michael Olson at Inn on the Twenty, in Jordan Ontario. It is considered to be Ontario's premier winery restaurant, located in the midst of prime Niagara farm and wine country. As always Anna embraced the bounties of the local growers, changing menus seasonally and using only the freshest ingredients possible in her role as pastry chef.

Anna joined the Canadian Food Network starting with her show Sugar and following with her new highly acclaimed new series "Fresh with Anna Olson". The couple currently reside in a beautiful historic home in the heart of Niagara, dated back to the 1860's. It is here that she tapes her successful new program where she tantalizes our tastebuds with each recipe she prepares. I have featured several over the years on this site. "In each episode Anna invites viewers into the comfort of her Niagara region country home, and creates unique meals using her mantra “eat fresh, eat local”.

When not taping or writing, Anna spends most of her time at Olson Foods on Port which is their bakery in Port Dalhousie, a historic lakeside community in St. Catharines, Ontario. The shop opened in 2004 and boasts an open kitchen and sells baked goods made fresh daily, artisanal cheeses and gourmet pantry items. Their latest enterprise is Olson Foods at Ravine, a partnership with the newly opened and acclaimed winery, Ravine Vineyards, in historic St. Davids. Through it all Anna is an advocate for local ingredients and suppliers.

In addition to participating in various fundraisers, Anna supports a local endeavour, the Niagara Women’s Enterprise Centre, which provides hospitality training to women who might not otherwise have such opportunities and her end-of-day product from the bakery is given to the local YWCA women’s shelter or the Out of the Cold Program.

Here is her much praised recipe for Olive Oil Cake that she serves with a delicious citrus salad.

**Orange Olive Oil Cake**

2 eggs
1 -1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup 2 %milk
zest of 2 oranges or tangerines
1 cup + 2 T all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
dash salt
icing sugar for dusting

Citrus Salad

2 navel oranges
2 honey tangerines
2 blood oranges, clementines or limes
2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar

To prepare Orange Olive Oil Cake: Preheat oven to 350 °F and butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Add olive oil, milk and orange zest and mix well. In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to olive oil batter and stir just until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely, then turn out onto a plate and dust with icing sugar.

To make Citrus Salad: Cut away skin and pith from outside of oranges and cut out sections of orange with a paring knife, pulling the orange segment out of its membrane. Immediately before serving, toss oranges with olive oil and sugar and serve with a slice of cake.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.
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36 comments:

  1. That cake looks wonderful! A flavorful afternoon delight!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. i sometimes use olive oil in my children's weekly dose of home made orange cake instead of margarine - much healthier

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  3. I am licking my lips Val! This cake is so fresh and "happy"...I'm absolutely loving the olive oil in this!

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  4. Good write up on Anna Olson - I've been following her career and indeed she has many accomplishments and does spent a good amount of time with charitable organizations as well. This cake is wonderful and I'll bet the olive oil makes it really moist.

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  5. I LOVE the look of this cake and really enjoyed reading about a chef new to me.

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  6. Anna sounds like an amazing woman Val! As much baking as I do I've never made a cake with olive oil, don't ask me why but that's gonna change cause I'm making this one !

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  7. I love olive oil cakes and this one looks yummy!

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  8. There a long time that I want to try something sweet with olive oil, you makes me decide to try it. Looks delectable

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  9. I've always liked the idea of olive oil cake. I did make one once (with Tuscan olive oil), but it was a bit ... oily :) I wonder what type of EVOO you used? Here, we buy Spanish oil in 5-litre cans (it's cheaper that way) but it has a very strong, peppery flavour, which I'm not sure would work in a cake. So should I try it with something blander?

    I do like the idea of the citrus salad, it must complement it really well!

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  10. The couple times I have baked I have used olive oil and I love doing it that way. Nicely done and great write up.

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  11. I love olive oil cake...this one is grande...look at the height!

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  12. We always make a side trip to her bakery in Port Dalhousie when we go to Niagara. Such great breads and cheeses. I haven't run into her though - I am waiting to pick up a book until she is there to sign it!
    Such beautiful country there, rich bounty - that's where I'd be if my ship came in!

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  13. I love Anna! I actually got to meet her just over a year ago when I was in Toronto doing CBC's Test the Nation. I had a chat with her and her husband and they were very nice people. She actually inspired me to retrain in pastry!

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  14. what a delicious-looking cake, and from a fellow southerner, no less! thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  15. This looks terrific Val, I always wanted to try an olive oil cake but never did. Thanks for the recipe I'm sure it will be a "keeper" too! Happy Easter to you and yours!
    Hugs, Marie

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  16. I love her show, this cake is so tempting. I should make it soon. Thanks.

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  17. The cake looks wonderful Val! Of course visiting that bakery would be a dream!
    Olive oil cakes are a surprise, they're so good.

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  18. What a gorgeous cake. Certainly a keeper and I can understand why your co-worker is willing to pay you for this! I adore treats that use olive oil.

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  19. Don't know Anna Olson down here in FL, but I do know that I like cakes made with olive oil (over butter) and with orange essence, I'm sure it's delicious. You've already got one order...maybe you'll go into mass productions and we can all try it!

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  20. Hey Veronica. I wish I could say I use a certain type of olive oil. I usually buy what extra virgin olive oil is on sale from Italy.Lately though I have been using one from Australia:D

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  21. I love Anna Olson! I remember years ago going to the Inn on the Twenty (must have been right after she started) and the food was incredible, as were our desserts. This cake sounds delish! :)

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  22. Those are some high accolades for this cake, Val. I think you've convinced me to try it. :)

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  23. How delicious! Olive oil makes such a moist cake! yumm :)

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  24. This looks like such a fresh and light cake. Lovely dessert Val! And thank you for introducing me to Anna Olson -- I know you've mentioned her before and I will definitely look into more of her work.

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  25. I've always wanted to bake a cake with olive oil. This one looks so light, fluffy and delicious!

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  26. Your cake looks so light and lovely. I've never been sure about the idea of olive oil in cake, but having seen this I am willing to give it a go.

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  27. I love watching Anna Olson on Sugar! I wasnt quite sure if she was a Yank or Canadian but now I know!! The cake looks yum...

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  28. Oh droolworthy to the 'T' Val. I made an Alice Medrich one from Cenk's Cafe Fernando earlier, & this is one I want to make right away! Love the citrus salad on the side...it's very appealing! I always look forward to your 'Canadian Chef' posts.

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  29. I have never made a cake with olive oil...I will HAVE to try this. Thanks for the amazing sounding recipe and for the new chef to look out for!

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  30. Vall really love this recipe, I love Anna Olson, I ha made a lot of recipes of her and are so wonderful, I love Canadian cook.A lot of thanks by this recipe Vall. xxxGloria

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  31. I love olive oil cakes. yours looks great.

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  32. This cake is just gorgeous, thick and moist-looking. Wonderful!

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  33. That looks lovely Val! Imagine putting olive oil in a cake, ha! Bet it was delicious.

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  34. I remember this recipe...glad you made it and it turned out well. I must bump this up to make.

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  35. I was hunting for a citrus infused cake and found this on your site - it looked so simple - had to give it a try. A winner !!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  36. Here after more than 2 years and this cake was still on my mind. Made it this morning...fabulous!! Thanks for the recipe!!

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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