Orange Cornmeal Cake

Serves 8

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Next time you have a dinner party, be sure to make this sunshiny cake.  It’s tender and subtly fruity flavored with olive oil and white wine and orange peel.  Because it’s made in one bowl, cleanup is a breeze. 

½ cup olive oil plus more for the pan

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup dry white wine (or orange juice)

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Zest of one orange

1/3 cup sugar (sparkly or sanding sugar is nice) for sprinkling on the top of the batter

Orange segments for serving (optional)

1.   Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Brush bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with oil; line the bottom of the pan with a round of ax or parchment paper, and brush paper with oil. 

2.   In a large bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, 1 cup sugar, and wine until smooth.  Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and orange zest; whisk gently to combine.

3.   Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle the top evenly with 1/3 cup sugar (sugar topping will be thick.)  Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of the pan and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

4.   Cool in pan for 20 minutes.  Run a knife around edge of the cake; invert cake gently onto a plate, and remove parchment paper.  Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.

5.   Serve with fresh orange segments, if desired.