A few years ago, I was in Calabria, Italy, and came across the actual Bergamot fruit (a cross between a lemon and orange). It is the familiar scent in Earl Gray Tea. I came home and developed nine recipes using the essence and oils. I could also get the fruit, in season, from Melissa’s Exotic Fruits in January and February. This is one of my favorites. It is lovely served by itself or with whipped cream or ice cream. It may also be served with a bit of sweetened raspberries or strawberries on the side of a single serving.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons each grated lemon and orange zest, divided
- ¼ cup fresh lemon plus between ½ tablespoon and 1 tablespoon, divided
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice plus between ½ tablespoon and 1 tablespoon, divided
- 1 tablespoon bergamot extract
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, for the glaze
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, lemon and orange juices, 1 tablespoon of each zest, and bergamot extract.
Add the dry ingredients; fold until just combined. Refrain from over-mixing.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Remove from the pan and let the cake cool for several hours before serving.
For the glaze:
Mix 1 cup confectioner’s sugar with the reserved ½ to 1 tablespoon of orange and lemon juice plus a tablespoon of their zests to form the glaze – the consistency should be thick enough to drizzle over the top of the cake.
