Chunky Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake | Baking with Dorie

The chunky blood orange cornmeal cake is the result of playing around with the combination of the whole blood orange and sumac. Both the citrus fruit and the spice is a rusty red often found in savory Mediterranean dishes. Dorie explains that in ancient times, sumac was used in place of lemon. The zest and chunky segments of blood orange are citrusy, front and center. However, I can hardly notice the tartness and the zing of citrus flavor of sumac in the cake. Maybe more than two teaspoons of ground sumac (the amount in the recipe) are needed for it to stand out.

Playing around #2 involves the use of a mini loaf pan instead of the usual 8- to 8 1/2-inch rectangular one. I like the smaller individual serving size of the mini loaves which make them easier for freezing or on the go.

To make the batter and the cake, this is the process step by step:

1. Grate the zest of two to three blood oranges.
2. Use a paring knife, slice between each orange segment of the fruit and the membranes. Lay out the segments and let them drain and dry on paper towels.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour (170g), cornmeal (86g), baking powder (1 1/2 tsp), baking soda (1/4 tsp) and salt (1/2 tsp). Set aside.
4. Stir together melted butter (57g) and flavorless oil (60 ml), such as canola.
5. Massage zest, some of the chopped orange segments (step 1 & 2) and sumac (2-3 tsp) in sugar (200g), until the mixture is moist and fragrant.
6. Use a flexible spatula, blend in the yogurt (120ml). Then add the eggs (three) one at a time. Beat in the vanilla extract.
7. Add the dry ingredients (step 3) in 2 additions, gently stirring and folding until the flour is blended.
8. Stir in the butter-oil mixture (step 4) until the batter thickens and has a lovely sheen. Stir in the chopped orange segments (step 2).
9. Transfer the batter to the baking pan.
10. Bake the mini cakes for about 20-25 minutes at 350°F or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown.

The loaves are quite substantial, yet slightly chewy and tender. The texture is rather grainy, like what you’d expect with cornmeal. They are not overly sweet, which I like. With the mini loaves, they work like finger food which you can nibble on the go. Dorie recommends serving the cake with marmalade or top with berries. I had one for breakfast with marmalade and yogurt.

For sumac substitutions: za’atar or herbs de Provence or finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme.