I got this recipe from Chef Jim Maraldo at The Culinary Institute of America when I took his Cuisines of the Mediterranean class. When I make it at home I do not use alcohol, in its place I put a little extra orange juice and orange extract. Sometimes I use almond extract to add some complexity now that my son has grown out of his tree nut allergy. #pinchme

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1 1/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 1⁄4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier*
Vegetable spray

Equipment
2 9 inch cake pans, lined with parchment circles
2 mixing bowls
Whisk
Cooling rack

Yields (2) 9 inch round cakes

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Oil, butter, or spray 2 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest and juice and Grand Marnier. Add the dry ingredients to the wet; whisk until just combined.

3. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.

4. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely, 2 hours. The cake can be served with a scoop of yogurt or simply sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

The cake can be served with a scoop of yogurt or simply sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

*If you want to skip the alcohol you can substitute it for a scant 1/4 cup more fresh orange juice and 1tsp orange extract. 

To cut this cake neatly, I clean the blade after each cut and top with powdered sugar.