Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange zest
  • 1.5 tsp ground cardamom
  • 0.75 cup (180ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 0.5 cup (120g) plain Greek yogurt
  • 0.25 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (120g) confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 pinch ground cardamom

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease your 9 inch pan with a little olive oil. Note: This ensures the edges get that beautiful golden brown color.
  2. Rub the granulated sugar and orange zest together in a large bowl. Stop when the sugar looks damp and smells intense.
  3. Whisk in the ground cardamom, olive oil, and eggs. Continue until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy.
  4. Stir in the Greek yogurt, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Note: The yogurt might look a bit lumpy at first, but just keep whisking until it's smooth.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Ensure there are no large clumps of baking soda.
  6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Stop the moment you see no more white streaks.
  7. Pour the batter into your pan and bake for 40 minutes. Check with a skewer; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before moving it to a wire rack. Note: This allows the structure to set so it doesn't crumble when moved.
  9. Mix the confectioners' sugar with the remaining orange juice and a pinch of cardamom. The consistency should be like thick cream.
  10. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake. Wait for it to set into a thin, crackly shell before slicing.