Orange Blossom Olive Oil Cake

If Go-To's Lip Hero Were a Cake – This Would Be It

My Orange Blossom Olive Oil Cake is light, fresh, and perfectly balanced between sweet and citrusy. The olive oil keeps it soft, while the orange blossom adds that little something special…kind of like how Lip Hero feels on your lips. Topped with smooth cream cheese frosting and candied orange peel, it’s the ideal cake for when you want something simple, but still beautiful.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

For the Cake:

375g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarb soda

Pinch of salt

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml extra virgin olive oil

430g caster sugar

Zest and juice of 2 oranges

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

250ml buttermilk (or make your own: mix 250ml milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, let sit for 5–10 mins)

½ tsp orange blossom water

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

300g cream cheese, at room temperature

175g unsalted butter, at room temperature

150g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Candied Orange Peel (optional):

2 oranges

200g caster sugar (plus extra for coating)

125ml water

Method:

1. For the candied orange peel, wash and peel the oranges into thin strips. Trim the edges with a paring knife for clean lines. In a small saucepan, combine 200g caster sugar and 125ml water. Stir to dissolve, then add the orange peels.

2. Simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the peels are tender. Remove from the heat and let them cool in the syrup. For a crystallised finish, remove from the syrup, toss in extra sugar, and let dry on parchment or a wire rack.

3. For the cake, preheat oven to 160°C fan. Grease and line a 15 or 20cm round cake tin. (Use 15cm for a taller cake)

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and salt. Set aside.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, olive oil, sugar, and orange zest for about 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy.

6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the vanilla, orange juice, orange blossom water, and buttermilk.

7. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, then pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

8. Cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer until smooth, about 2–3 minutes. Add icing sugar and vanilla, and beat until creamy.

10. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then decorate with candied orange peel.

This recipe is brought to you by Go-To and their new Lip Hero!