Power Foods -- even for dessert

One of my favorite cookbooks is Powerfoods (from the editors of Martha Stewart's Whole Living Magazine).  The recipes use “among the heathiest foods on earth." If you love using fresh and healthy ingredients, I highly recommend this cookbook.

At the end of the book are desserts.  I was flipping through it and saw ”Orange-Walnut Olive Oil Cake with Sweet Yogurt.“ …the cake jumped out of me for so many reasons:

                 

#1:  The description said that Olive Oil Cakes are very popular in Italy.  My obesession with all that is European sold me on this fact…somehow they just know how to do it best over there.  With simple, high-quaility ingredients. Plus, I have never olive oil in baking. I was intrigued. 

It said to use extra-virgin olive oil if you prefer a more "pronounced fruitiness." Well, that sounds good to me. 

#2: The recipe called for ingredients I love and are staples that I eat everyday: walnuts, oranges, greek yogurt, olive oil.  I was set. 

                 

#3  Sometimes there is nothing worse than finding a great recipe but soon realizing that you don’t have any of the ingredients in your kitchen! That’s just a pain. But this time I already had all of the ingredients on hand. So, I didn’t need to make a trip out.  It was fate.  So, I got out a bowl and measuring cup…

The recipe is super easy. You just mix it all with a spoon and spoon it into a pan (An 8 inch square pan or one, round 8 inch cake pan) and bake. See, it really is simple.

Now, I usually change a recipe and tweak it to make it my own. But this one I did exactly was it said.  The only change I made was that I used Whole-Wheat Flour instead of all-purpose flour. 

           

This cake is not too sweet.  I loved mixing the powered sugar in with the greek yogurt! It is better than whipped cream because it’s thicker and almost sweeter.  It moistens the cake.                 

Orange-Walnut Olive Oil Cake with Sweet Yogurt

  • ½ cup olive oil (I used extra-virgin)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour  (I used whole-wheat)
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest, plus more for garnish
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar (powdered sugar), plus more for dusting

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Brush 8X2 inch round cake pan with oil. Then dust with flour and tap out the excess.  (Line bottom with parchment for easy removal, if desired).

- Pulse walnuts in food processor until finely ground (or finely chop by hand)

- In large bowl, whisk together orange zest, flour, baking powder, salt, and ground walnuts.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture and stir in eggs, brown sugar, orange juice, and oil until JUST moistend. Don’t overmix!

- Pour batter in pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool.

- Meanwhile, stir powdered sugar with the greek yogurt in a small bowl.

- Before serving dust the top of the cake with the powdered sugar and slice into wedges and serve with sweet yogurt and garnish with orange zest.  (store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator)

Anna BeckComment