Citrus, Pistachio and Semolina Cake

Winter for me is the time for all citrus fruits, especially oranges. On top of eating them as is, or adding them to salads, I also always try to incorporate them in cookies and cakes. Lately I’ve been experimenting with Blood oranges as well, so I’ve decided to use both in a cake, combined with tangerine juice, and the result is before you.

I was a bit disappointed by the fact that although the batter is pretty thick, the orange segments I placed on top still sunk into it. On the positive side, the taste, texture and aroma of the cake turned out great, in my humble opinion, so I’ve decided to share the recipe despite the less than optimal presentation…

If you like citrus fruits, and cakes with a coarse texture, this cake is for you.

Makes: 1 x 10” (25cm) loaf pan
Prep time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 45-50 minutes
Ingredients:
1 orange
1 Blood orange
3.5 oz (100 grams) butter, soft
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs orange zest
½ cup fresh tangerine juice *
½ cup chopped natural pistachios
1 cup flour
1 cup fine semolina
1 Tbs baking powder
¼ tsp salt

1. Zest 1 tbs of the regular orange. Remove the top and bottom of both oranges. With a sharp knife, remove the peel and carefully separate the segments. Keep aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Oil the pan and dust with a bit of flour.
3. Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and cream together on medium speed. Add the eggs and mix to incorporate.

4. Add the zest and juice and mix briefly (the mixture will seem “broken” but it’s fine). Keep 1 Tbs of the chopped pistachios on the side and add the rest to the bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend to a fairly thick batter.

5. Transfer half of the batter to the pan and place ½ of the orange segments on it. Top with the rest of the batter and scatter the 1 Tbs pistachios on top. Place the rest of orange segments on top.

6. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the cake top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs on it. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife and turn the cake out of the pan. Place on a rack to cool to room temperature before slicing.

*Note: tangerine juice is sweeter than orange juice. If you prefer to use orange juice instead, add 1 Tbs of sugar to the cake.