Blood Orange Cardamom Cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• zest of one blood orange (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp blood orange juice
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 – 1 tsp cardamom (depending on how spicy you want the cake, I usually use 3/4 tsp)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

Blood Orange Glaze

• Juice of 1 blood orange (minus the 2 tbsp you use for the cake)
• a few drops vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups Icing Sugar (approx – add more as needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 10′′ cake pan.
2. Cream together butter, sugars, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add vanilla essence and orange juice after scraping down the sides of the bowl. 1-2 minutes to beat till fluffy.
3. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. 1/3 of the flour mixture should be added to the wet components and mixed on low speed to just incorporate. Combine 1/2 of the sour cream with the remaining sour cream in a small mixing bowl until barely mixed. Rep with the remaining flour and sour cream, finishing with the last third of the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the basin and beat on low speed until the batter is smooth and lump-free, but not over-mixed.
4. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the middle of the cake is firm to the touch or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool entirely to room temperature.
5. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Orange juice, vanilla, and icing sugar are whisked together until smooth and creamy. It should have a thick yet pourable consistency. Once the cake has completely cooled, pour glaze over the top and allow it to trickle down the sides. If desired, garnish with dried blood orange segments and sugared rosemary.

To Make Sugared Rosemary 

1. In a cup of water, dip fresh rosemary sprigs. Drain excess liquid and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sugar the damp rosemary sprigs generously, then flip them over and repeat. Allow for an hour or more of drying time.

Dried Blood Oranges

1. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Depending on how many slices you want, thinly slice 1-2 blood oranges and place them on parchment paper. Dust each slice generously with icing sugar, then flip and repeat. Bake for 2 1/2 hours or until completely dry. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool fully before decorating it.

Source: The Sweet and Simple Kitchen

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