Aperol Citrus Cake

I’m not a fan of campari but when I saw Melissa Clark’s Campari Olive Oil Cake I knew I had to try it. But I wasn’t about to go out and buy a bottle of campari. Instead, I used aperol, which I am definitely a fan of.

I reduced the amount of sugar in the original recipe to account for the sugars in the aperol. And I ended up with quite a few grapefruits around my house so I mostly used grapefruit juice and zest along with a little meyer lemon.

This is my new favorite cake. But you have to serve it with whipped cream. You just have to.

And I wish I had a slice of this cake today because today has just been one of those Mondays. I’ve been working on changing a lot of my ingrained thought patterns and it’s hard work and it’s painful. Adrienne Rich’s quote his the nail on the head —-

All new learning looks at first like chaos.

This couldn’t be more true. It’s like venturing out to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language. Disorienting. Frightening. And “off” days are inevitable, are just part of the process. Just gotta breathe and accept. And make cake. And eat cake.

Aperol Citrus Cake

Adapted from Melissa Clark’s recipe for the NYT

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup aperol

zest of 1 grapefruit

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

Whisk together eggs, sugar, and butter. Whisk vigorously for a few minutes until well combined. Add olive oil and continue to whisk until incorporated. Add aperol, citrus zests, and citrus juices. Whisk until combined.

Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir once (flour will not be fully incorporated). Add half of milk mixture and stir gently until just combined. Add rest of milk and mix till combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream.