Citrus Cake-Dorie Greenspan

Purchasing Dorie Greenspan's latest baking book was the best gift I gave myself.  Her recipes are approachable, beautiful and delicious.  Baking Chez Moi may be my new favorite thing to read while I fall asleep.  I already knocked out two recipes the week I received the book.  This orange cake is delightful and delicious.  I decided to keep with the season's offerings and use blood oranges and pink grapefruits as a garnish.  You don't need to top the cake with citrus, the syrup recipe works wonderfully on its own.  I found that I loved the look and taste of the additional citrus.   

For the Cake:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 large orange

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

Juice of 1 orange

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Put the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer. Grate the zest of the orange over the sugar. Squeeze the juice into a measuring cup–you should have about 1/3 cup, but a little more or a tad less won’t throw things off.

Rub the sugar and zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. If you’re using a stand mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment and attach the bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one goes in, then pour in the juice and beat to blend. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter. The batter may look a little lumpy and grainy, but that’s fine. Turn the batter out into the cake pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the cake will be pale, the bottom even paler. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, unmold it onto a cooling rack, invert it onto another rack and then put the rack over a baking sheet lined with plastic film or foil.

Meanwhile make the syrup: as soon as the cake goes into the oven stir the sugar and orange juice together in a small bowl, and then stir a couple of times while the cake is baking. Don’t worry if the mixture is a little grainy–it will still soak into the cake nicely.

Spoon or brush the syrup over the hot cake, working slowly so that it soaks into the cake. I use only half of the syrup–I like the cake moist but not wet–but you can use more if you want a thoroughly-soaked through cake.

Optional; Citrus Topping-Start this process while the cake is baking

Make the cake the same but do not make the syrup.  You will 2-3 oranges/grapefruits. One grapefruit and one blood orange is what I used.  You will need to cut off either end of the fruits then trim closely along the sides of the fruit to remove the peel.  You will do this a total of 5 times around, creating a hexagon shape. Be sure to stay close to peel and not take too much of the flesh away. Next turn the citrus on its side and cut 1/8 inch thick slice.

 In a large surface frying pan bring 1 cup of water and sugar to a boil.  Add a cinnamon stick and simmer for 3 minutes.  Add the citrus segments and poach in the liquid for another three minutes.  Carefully remove the citrus with a slotted spoon and place onto the hot cake.  This part is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.  Try to make sure there is no space of cake exposed, trim any pieces that hang over the edge. Strain the syrup and pour about half over the citrus.  Keep the remaining syrup to add to your coffee or tea. 

Allow the cake to cool to room temperature, if you can let the cake set over night.  Store at room temperature covered in plastic.

Guest Editor-Joy Lanceta

Mind Body Release Work

I have many wonderful people in my life who teach me so many things.  A new and recurring part of my shared work will be featuring content from people who inspire me. The topics these guest editors will be discussing will vary, some familiar that go a bit more in depth to new and exciting territory.  Overall wellness is very important to me. As I continue to build my business I will be focusing in on this idea and what it means to me.  

First up is a wonderful woman and friend Joy Lanceta.  Joy is currently living in London and receiving her M.F.A. in Voice Studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama .  I wanted her to share some of the amazing work she is learning because it has been very helpful and informative for me.  Enjoy reading about a very important topic we are discussing, daily release work for your mind, body and soul.  I know you will find something to take away from her work to help you lead a more attune life.

About

Hi, I'm Joy Lanceta, a friend of Lexie's. I'm currently earning my MFA in Voice Studies at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Having spent 6 years in NYC and now living in London, I understand what stress is and am interested in building a holistic life practice that benefits the mind, body and soul. Without a congruency of attention to all three, there is a great imbalance in life so my goal is to provide tips to ensure we're all taking care of all three of these aspects!

Daily Release Work

Today's world can leave us in a constant state of tension. Deadlines, late nights and personal and professional obligations can wreak havoc on our endocrine system, the command center that sends messages to our nervous system. But what if we lived our lives in a more released, relaxed state? Melting all of the extraneous tension from our bodies can be work, but wholly beneficial and easier than we think if we just give ourselves a moment each day. I hope the body release work I describe below is helpful for you. This is all about incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine, including how you eat (not just what you eat) and asking yourself reflective questions at the end of each day. Enjoy!

Mid-Day - Breath is our life source and an important part of fueling our internal organs. During that 2 pm slump we begin to lose focus / energy and sometimes our breathing becomes shallow. 

-Check your posture: lengthen the spine and ensure the crown of your head sits high. 

-Yawn (quietly!) and with your entire body - stretch the face, neck, torso, legs, feet as much as you can. Be sure to really engage in the yawn and enjoy it more than anything!

-Deep breaths: inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth on a sigh. On the sigh, release any tension, worry or stress away with the breath. Repeat if necessary.

Lunch - Eating is a time to nurture your body. Just as you would not rush through a meditation or massage, you would not rush through eating. 

-Before each bite, take a look at what's actually in front of you: all the different ingredients, colors, textures and smells you are about to enjoy. Some meals can be a visual work of art! Take it in. 

-As you take each bite, chew slowly as you savor the flavors and textures. Chewing too fast can create air bubbles that when swallowed, can turn into gas. Take your time - your food is going nowhere. 

-Let the experience of chewing, tasting and swallowing settle before you take the next bite. 

End of Day - After a long day our bodies become compressed and we become stiff. Through breath, we are able to release tension and bring mobility back into our bodies. 

-Stand hip-width apart as you roll down the spine vertebra by vertebra. Hang from your pelvis for a few moments as you sway from side to side and release any sighs. Roll back up slowly. 

-Get in a comfortable position (whatever that means to you - in a chair, lying down, etc.) and make sure your head, neck and spine are elongated and lengthened. 

-Focus on your breath and then inhale in through the nose as though you are smelling something pleasant like a flower, fresh, cool air or your favorite meal.  Exhale slowly out through mouth until there is no air left as you release any tension in the body. Try not to engage your abdominal muscles as much as possible. The key is to release tension while staying energized. 

I usually end this moment with the questions: What did I learn today? What went well? What can I do next time?