CUCINA CARA MIA.......Random thoughts from "my dear kitchen" about food, travel, Italy, San Diego and life!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

ORANGE YOU GLAD I DIDN'T SAY LEMON...


We are blessed in San Diego with abundant citrus fruit - even during the winter. My daughter Courtney's friend has a small grove of fruit trees on her property and brought a large bag of oranges, grapefruits and lemons over last week....great, but how many Greyhound's can you possibly drink before you don't want to see another grapefruit! Just kiddin...


Ina Garten has a recipe for a lemon yogurt cake, which she claims is much lighter than her usual desserts......here is a version with oranges.


1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (I used fat free)
1-1/3 c. sugar, divided
3 extra large eggs
2 t. grated lemon zest (I used orange)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

For the glaze:


1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed orange juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease an standard loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in center comes out clean.


Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup orange juice and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the mixture over the cake and allow to soak in. Cool.


We are heading to my sister's house in LA today..... I will be stopping at a local grocery store for a 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream to serve with it....did I say this was a healthy dessert???






4 comments:

~j~ said...

oooh yummy! Great recipe from the Contessa as always, will have to try this.
xo
j

Anonymous said...

so how was it?

Sue said...

hI lINDA....NICE TO SEE SOMETHING USING ORANGES FOR A CHANGE....I HAVEN'T HAD A PIECE OF CAKE IN FOREVER.....I COULD USE A GOOD PIECE OF CAKE....HEY, I JUST HEARD ON FOX ABOUT THE BAD WEATHER IN SOUTHERN CAL....IS IT DOWN AS FAR AS YOU OR IS IT STILL NICE AND SUNNY.....

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Oh gosh that looks so good! I love oranges and, yes, I'm getting tired of lemons in everything, so orahnge pound cake would be YUM!