Orange, Olive Oil, and Poppyseed Cake

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

Butter or oil (for the pan)
2 tablespoons orange zest (preferably organic)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 large eggs
3 cups strawberries (quartered)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
Whipped cream or crème fraîche (for serving (optional))

Prep Time30mins
Cook Time60mins
Servings8

Instructions

Make the cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and coat a 9-inch (23-cm) cake pan with oil or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest and granulated sugar. Whisk in the flour, poppy seeds, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate large bowl, combine the olive oil, milk, orange juice, and eggs. Don't worry if the mixture separates slightly.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk together just until everything is well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, bake until the top turns golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few damp crumbs, 60 to 70 minutes. Let the cake cool completely.

To loosen the cake, run a knife around the edges. Gently remove the cake from the pan, peel off the parchment, then place on a serving plate.

Make the macerated strawberries

While the cake is cooling, in a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and orange juice. Stir, then cover the bowl and let sit until the strawberries release some of their juices, about 20 minutes.

Serve the cake, topped with strawberries immediately, and with whipped cream or crème fraîche, if desired.