Orange, olive oil and thyme cake recipe
This cake is a real show-stopper, the perfect bake for Mother's Day. Sweet oranges bring a citrusy hit, while the thyme gives this bake a savoury twist.
See method- Serves 12
- 40 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook and 15 mins to cool
- 626 calories / serving
- Freezable
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 300g caster sugar
- 200ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 medium eggs
- 120ml low-fat Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 90g semolina or fine cornmeal
- 90g ground almonds
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus extra whole leaves for decorating
- 3 oranges, zested and juiced
- 300g icing sugar, sieved
- 1 small orange, for decorating
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 2625kJ 626.0kcal
- Fat
- 34g
- Saturates
- 9g
- Salt
- 0.9g
- Sugars
- 55g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 78.2gProtein 8.0gFibre 1.7g
Method
- Grease and line 2 x 20cm loose- based round cake tins. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.
- Put the sugar and oil in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 1 min until smooth. Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla and beat for another 1 min.
- Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, semolina, almonds and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually pour in the egg and yogurt mix and stir well to combine. Add the thyme and the zest and juice from 2 oranges, then mix until it becomes a thick, wet batter.
- Divide between the 2 cake tins and bake for 35 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk the icing sugar with the butter until soft and fluffy, then add the zest and juice of the third orange. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Once the cakes have cooled, remove the paper. Carefully cut off the rounded tops (you could reserve them for a trifle), then cut each of the cakes in half horizontally. Place 1 layer on a serving plate, spoon 2 tbsp icing on top and smooth right to the edges. Continue layering in the same way with the remaining 3 layers, finishing with a base layer of cake, bottom-side up, for a clean, straight top.
- Using a clean and slightly warmed palette knife, smooth the remaining icing across the top and sides of the cake to produce a ‘naked’ finish with the cake showing through in places. It will feel as if you don’t have enough icing but keeping the icing minimal achieves this look.
- Pare thin layers of orange peel from the final orange and cut into thin strips. Scatter around the edges to form a wreath effect, then scatter the thyme leaves in the same way to finish.
- See more Baking recipes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 2 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
