Happy Friday! It’s been a super warm week here in Portland and although beautiful, has been almost overly hot! It’s really out of the ordinary for it to be at a near 90 degrees in April. Definitely makes it feel like it’s summer already, but then this morning I woke up to rain and was reminded that it is yet still Spring. No complaints here though, Spring is so gorgeous in Portland and I love the mild temperatures!
The feeling of a warm spring is getting me excited for an upcoming class happening on May 7th I have co hosted alongside Eva, where we’ll teaching on Floral Design + Edible Flowers. It’s the perfect spring weekend festivity, and we only have a couple of spaces left! You can sign up at the above link, and if you’re curious about our last class, you can see my past workshop recap here .
So, on to today’s post. If you haven’t seen last week’s post yet, make sure to check out the interview with Suzanne Fuoco on cooking with essential oils! In this article, you’ll find some really intriguing information on the benefits of using essential oils, including the topic of how to cook with them.
Here we have a corresponding recipe that Suzanne and I collaborated on developing for a special recipe featuring essential oils! This recipe for Citrus Olive Oil Pound Cake with a Fig & Pomegranate Compote is absolutely to die for and something that will be perfect for your next spring gathering or family meal. It’s perfectly rich, moist and full of flavor thanks to the lemon and citrus essential oil that we used. Enjoy and have a lovely weekend, friends!
Citrus Olive Oil Pound Cake
Recipe by Suzanne Fuoco
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons cherry brandy
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 drops Lemon essential oil
2 drops Citrus essential oil
*Ensure your essential oils are safe to cook with and digest internally
Optional lemon glaze
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
3 drops Lemon essential oil
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan by cutting parchment paper to size and fitting to bottom of pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar. Whisk in the olive oil, milk, brandy, liqueur, lemon zest, orange zest, and 1/4 cup of the orange juice.
Add the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk. Add in batches to wet ingredients and stir just until thoroughly incorporated.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in pan at least 10-15 minutes before removing. When cake has cooled, simply lift the parchment out with the cake intact, and pull sides down so it can continue to cool. After about 1 hour, remove parchment and store in airtight container.
For optional lemon glaze, in a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.
Drizzle over cake once both the syrup and cake have cooled.
Fig Pomegranate Compote
Recipe by Christiann Koepke & Suzanne Fuoco
1 c. dried figs, sliced with stems removed
1 1/2 c. pomegranate juice
1/2 c. red wine (cabernet preferred)
2-3 thick orange slices, including peel
2 drops cinnamon essential oil
*Ensure your essential oils are safe to cook with and digest internally
Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on low, covered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Store in fridge in air tight container for 1-2 weeks. Enjoy on everything!
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