Butter for greasing pan

3 blood oranges

1 cup sugar

Approx. ½ cup buttermilk

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 & ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup CostaLivos Blood Orange Olive Oil

Whipped cream, for serving, optional

Honey-blood orange compote, for serving, optional (see note)

1-2   teaspoons honey

3 blood oranges

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. Grate zest from 2 oranges and place in a large bowl with sugar. Using your fingers, rub ingredients together until orange zest is evenly distributed in sugar.

3. Supreme one of the zested oranges: Cut off bottom and top so fruit is exposed and orange can stand upright on a cutting board. Cut away peel and pith, slicing just inside the membrane for each fruit section. Cut orange segments out of their connective membranes and let them fall into a bowl. Repeat with the second zested orange. Break up segments with your fingers to about ½ -¼ inch pieces.

4. Halve remaining orange and squeeze juice from each half into a measuring cup, to obtain approximately ¼ cup. Add buttermilk to juice until you have 2/3 cup liquid altogether. Pour mixture into bowl with zest and sugar and whisk well. Whisk in eggs.

5. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently whisk dry ingredients into wet ones. Switch to a spatula and whisk in CostaLivos Blood Orange Olive Oil a little at a time. Gently fold in pieces of orange segments. Scrape batter into greased pan and smooth top.

6. Bake cake for about 55 minutes, or until it is golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then remove cake from pan and cool to room temperature right-side up. Serve with whipped cream and honey-blood orange compote.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Note: To make a honey-blood orange compote, supreme 3 more blood oranges according to directions in Step 3. Drizzle in 1 to 2 teaspoons honey. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently.

This recipe was adapted from Melissa Clark’s Good Appetite book. Her original recipe (along with many others) is available on her website here and through her NY Times column here.