Blood Orange Olive Oil Mini-Bundt Cakes – Recipe!

I’ve always adored Bundt Cake.  Maybe it’s because they seem to come out delicately tender, or maybe it’s because they are simple to put together.  These Blood Orange Olive Oil Mini-Bundt Cakes are all those things and so much more.  The olive oil keeps the crumb moist and the delicate blood orange essence highlights gorgeous flavors.

Blood oranges have the loveliest colors – red hued with streaks of orange.  Sometimes I think they are too beautiful to squeeze because they look like a masterpiece, however when you taste a blood orange you will soon realize, it’s worth it.  The juice is sweet with soft tangy notes, less bitter than some oranges, but the peel is intense, and creates citrusy zest to add orange flavor to the batter.

Olive oil is the fat in these mini-bundts and you can taste the earthy notes in each bite.  A simple glaze that’s pink in color because of the blood orange juice makes them that much more fun.  I think they would make a great dessert for Easter or any springtime gathering.  You can bake the cake in a standard Bundt pan, just increase baking time to 50-60 minutes.

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

zest of 1 blood orange

3 tablespoons blood orange juice

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

Glaze

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

juice of 1/2 blood orange

1 tablespoon cream

(Makes 18 Mini-Bundts)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Spray a mini-bundt pan or muffin tin with baking spray, set aside.
2. In a stand mixer or large bowl, mix together olive oil and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing in-between additions.
3. Add zest and juice or blood orange, mix again for 1 minute.  Whisk flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together and add in thirds to wet ingredients, alternating with yogurt on low speed.  Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter.
4. Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto rack to cool completely.
5. Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl until creamy.  Dollop a spoonful of glaze over top and place a blood orange triangle on top, if desired.  Enjoy!