Recreating yumminess...

A couple of weeks ago Chef and I went and saw Cirque du Soleil and then had dinner out.  It was our first date out in while. Reminds me of the early days of Us. 


Cirque du Soleil was absolutely amazing! Awe-inspiring what a human being's body is capable of moving.  Then it was time for dinner.  Where to go?  After getting lost driving around, we finally decided on a favorite of ours.  Grant's in West Hartford.  If you love good, fresh food made honestly, then this is the place to go.

Dinner was amazing just like the show was earlier.  Beautiful evening dining out on the patio with delicious food.   As is our tradition, when we eat out we splurge on dessert.  Grant's was voted as the best dessert menu in Connecticut, so how could we pass it up?!  Normally if I see creme brulee that is my automatic choice.  But for some reason I kept returning to the Orange Olive Oil Cake.  So taking that as a sign, I bravely tried something new.  I am sooooooo glad I did.  The cake was moist yet dense, but yet seemed light as air.  I made a comment to Chef that I must recreate this wonderful cake!

Well about a week later I finally tried a recipe.  So here I am the day after the 4th of July, I baked a cake.  Now please keep in mind that the East Coast is in a heat wave, it reached 100 degrees today.  Yep, 100 degrees outside, and I have a cake baking in the oven.  But I had to!  Its been swimming in my head for a week!  When finally the cake had cooled, I topped it with some whip cream and some mascerated strawberries.  It was one of the most delicious desserts I have ever created.  Now how am I ever going to top this one?!


Orange olive oil cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar, plus 1/3 cup for the topping
• 1/2 cup orange juice (or dry white wine)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 large orange

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a spring form pan with nonstick spray.
2 In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, 1 cup of the sugar, and orange juice until smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and orange zest; whisk lightly to combine.
3 Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan; sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25-35 minutes.
4 Cool the cake in the pan 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to separate it from the edge of the pan. Cool completely before serving.