Orange Olive Oil Cake

Orange Olive Oil Cakes

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

6 oz vanilla greek yogurt (I used Chobani vanilla)

6 oz milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups good quality fruity extra-virgin olive oil

zest from 3 large oranges

pre heat oven to 350

1. In a large mixing bowl whisk to combine eggs and sugar until lightens in color. Add in yogurt and milk and whisk until combined. Stream in Olive Oil while whisking. Add vanilla and zest until equally incorporated.

2. In another mixing bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and pinch of salt.

3. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet while whisking until dry mixture is just incorporated but smooth. (batter may seem a bit on the loose side but that is ok!)

4. Pour batter into 12 muffin cups about 3/4 full

5. Bake on the middle rack at 350 for 30-35 minutes rotating baking sheet once. Cool completely on a wire wrack. 

Enjoy!

SPRING AHEAD

Spring is definitely in the air. After a some what mild winter the air and light have shifted subtly into Spring. For me Spring is just a natural inspiration. I just need to be outside to be inspired by any thing from the warm sun, to the new growth of flowers shooting up throughout the Earth. It's a time of de-clutter and clean fresh starts.... are you one to "Spring Clean?"

One obvious sign of spring for me is Food! This time of year it seems people want to eat lighter drink more water, get outside more. Naturally.. right? Spring is an exciting time for chefs and cooks. as all winter we have been busy in the kitchen cooking hearty comfort food we can transition into the bounty of all of the new spring vegetables we will start seeing at the farmers market.

Fresh leafy greens, spring peas, asparagus, ramps all make me think of spring. The new colors of greens slowly budding up on the trees can inspire clean fresh meals.

As a trained Pastry Chef I tend to want to bake. And this very sunny weather is inspiring me to bake some thing with a bright spring flavor. So I decided to make these lemon sugar cookies!

Bright Lemony Sugar Cookies

3 cups ap flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lt brown sugar

2 sticks butter
2 lg eggs
Zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp lemon juice

clear course sanding sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350

1. In your stand mixer (or electric hand mixer)

2.Mix on medium speed the sugars, butter and the zest until light and fluffy

3.Mix in eggs one at a time

4. Lower speed and add the lemon juice

5. Gragually add in flour mixture until just incoroprated

Use a 2 inch icecream scoop (or just roll into 2 inch balls)
Drop onto sil-pat lined sheet tray, flatten slightly and sprinkle with clear course sanding sugar

Bake until golden about 15 minutes rotating sheet tray half way through and cool completely on wire rack.

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