Spode Buttercup and Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

A sunny little flower that has no idea it’s a weed. Buttercup by Spode - absolutely iconic English transferware pottery with Chelsea Wicker basketweave plate shape. A big 1930s collection coming to Knollwood next week! In the meantime, here’s a sunny cake to hold you on.

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake
Adapted from The New York Times

3-4 blood oranges, depending on size
1 c sugar
Buttermilk or plain yogurt
3 large eggs
1¾ c all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
⅔ c extra virgin olive oil
Creme fraiche and olive oil to serve


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Remove zest from 2 oranges and mince to a fine powder. Place in a bowl with sugar. Using your fingers, rub zest and sugar together until orange zest is evenly distributed in sugar.

Supreme two of the oranges. Break up segments with your fingers to about ¼-inch pieces.


Squeeze juice from 2 oranges into a measuring cup. You should have about ¼ cup or so. Add buttermilk or yogurt to juice until you have ⅔ cup liquid altogether. Pour mixture into bowl with sugar and whisk well. Whisk in eggs.

In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently mix dry ingredients into liquid. Fold in olive oil a little at a time. Fold in pieces of orange segments. Scrape batter into pan and smooth top.



Bake cake for about 55 minutes, or until it is golden and a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out of pan and cool to room temperature. Serve with creme fraiche, drizzled with additional olive oil. Well-wrapped, this cake keeps extremely well.