what just happened? i woke up, checked my blog and a month had passed. poof! well, not exactly.
i know that somewhere in there i suffered a cold that snubbed every virgin hot toddy and dutiful dose of amoxicillan i sent its way. yes, some of the month i spent simply having a cold and bitching about it. i've decided never to do that again.
i would rather invite 20 of the dearest (translate: hottest) women in my life over and make them a four course vegan dinner and tell them why i love each of them. when the heart labors, it hardly ever feels like work. i have pictures to prove this evening actually happened last month, or else i might insist i daydreamed it on a park bench at the little italy farmers market, hopped up on antibiotics, clutching a bag of pea tendrils, wondering how they might achieve maximum seductiveness. "pea tendrils" sound very sweet, but i assure you they are not. especially when bedded with a musky blend of slow roasted wild mushrooms that only talk in whispers.
at some point in the past month, i entertained the idea of starting another blog based on a diet that intrigued me. another blog? yes, sign me up! i have so much free time! i developed several recipes for this pet project of mine that i will share here soon. the new blog may be in permanent hibernation, but the food was tasty.
so, groove food, i am back. for no other reason than to cook, savor, and share about it as an extension of my gratitude. starting with cake! a cake i urge you to make because i desire your happiness. a cake that is fragrant of oranges, toasty with whole wheat flour and ground almonds, and moist with olive oil. a cake that seems like it should be harder to make based on its sublimity. a cake that tastes better each time you sneak a sliver of it over a series of days--until a month has vanished and only a plate of pebbly, orange crumbs remains for a cluster of tulips to nod over, like they were remembering something.
almond-olive oil cake
(makes two 10-inch delicious, vegan cakes. give one away to your favorite friend.)
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups organic sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups very finely ground toasted marcona almonds (or use regular toasted almonds if you cannot find marcona)
3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup of your favorite extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350. oil two 10-inch springform pans. line the bottom of each with parchment that has been cut to fit them--do not oil the parchment.
sift the flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl. add 3/4 cup of the ground almonds (reserve the rest for later). gently whisk the ingredients together.
combine the orange juice, olive oil, orange zest, vinegar, vanilla, and almond extracts in another large mixing bowl and whisk until well-combined. pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth.
divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared pans. rotate the pans to level the batter and tap the pan lightly on the counter to remove any air pockets. bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown, the sides have pulled away from the pans, and a cake tester comes out clean. you may be tempter to pull the cakes sooner, but you want the cakes to be a tad dark.
place the cake on a cooling rack and run a small knife between the cakes and the pans. cool for ten minutes, and then remove the side ring of the springform pan. sprinkle 2 tablespoons of ground almonds over the top of the cakes. place a cake plate over the top of each cake and invert. the almonds will keep the cake from sticking to the plate. remove the pan and paper and sprinkle the remaining ground almonds over the top of the cake. you can also add a sprinkle of sea salt for a little extra kick.
notes
* this recipe was adapted from the california olive ranch recipe
* you can use both cakes to make a layer cake. sandwich the layers with your favorite jam or, make a dairy or non-dairy cream cheese frosting