Does your cooking get influenced by the weather? I mean, just seasons aside, if you were to block everything away, do you cook different when the skies are blue and filled with white clouds, versus the cloudy days when the clouds are puffy with prominent silver linings?
Given, my love for cooking with the seasons, it would be hard to say whether the skies and the weather independently influence by table, but they certainly do. So, yesterday was a perfect early summer day, breezy full of airy white clouds and I actually had a day of. I had to do an airport run and deal with the plumber but I did get time to savor the fresh herbs in my backyard and of course make time to cobble up a fresh and fruity cake bursting with the flavors of summer.
Yes, I cooked up an orange and mint cake. I have had luck with cooking these Mediterranean style cakes. There is a lemon basil one, that is waiting its turn to be shared and I promise to do this before the season is over. 
Orange and Mint Cake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Orange and Mint Cake is a fragrant, dense yet light dessert that captures the essence of early summer with its bright orange flavor and lingering minty finish.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (55 g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (200 g) raw cane sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose white flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (50 g) almond meal
- 1 tbsp fresh orange zest
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and olive oil. Beat until well mixed and smooth.
- Add the raw cane sugar to the butter and oil mixture, and mix well until the mixture is nice and smooth.
- Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add them to the mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.
- In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, stirring gently to combine.
- Fold in the almond meal, fresh orange zest, fresh mint, and orange juice. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For a stronger mint flavor, increase the amount of fresh mint.
- This cake pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute almond meal with finely ground almonds if preferred.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 55
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Sicilian Orange Cake
- Glazed Orange Pound Cake with Orange Zest
- Blood Orange Polenta Cake
- Spring Strawberry Cake Roll
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this cake use both olive oil and butter instead of one or the other?
The recipe combines ¼ cup of softened butter with ½ cup of olive oil to achieve a moist, Mediterranean-style crumb. The butter provides richness and flavor while the olive oil keeps the texture tender and gives the cake its characteristic slightly savory depth — a hallmark of the lemon-basil and orange-mint Mediterranean cakes the author describes making.
What role does the almond meal play, and can I substitute it?
The ½ cup of almond meal adds moisture and a slightly dense, nutty texture that complements the orange and mint. The notes say you can substitute finely ground almonds if you don’t have almond meal on hand — the result will be nearly identical.
How should I store this cake, and what goes well with it?
Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The notes suggest it pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, which offset the citrus brightness nicely.
Love this combination, a classic!
I’m making this now and haven’t tried it yet… perhaps I am just over looking it but the description does not say when to add the almond meal. I added it with the flour. None the less, this batter was super thin, so it took a long time to bake. Smells great though.
Are you kidding you didn’t follow the recipe or even try the cake and you gave it 3 stars. What is wrong with you