I am still baking during lockdown and I’m enjoying making my tried and true recipe for orange rosemary drizzle cake. I’ve been testing similar recipes over the past few years and I’ve adapted them into one recipe I am very happy with. My Orange Rosemary Drizzle Loaf is my go-to recipe when I need a good dessert or am contributing to a charity bake sale (hopefully those days will come back soon).

I am avoiding supermarkets as much as possible. Fab local shop Meadows in Newnham has been a godsend, delivering fruit, vegetables, butter, milk, cheese, pasta, sauces, freshly baked goods, tea, chocolate and more, including some of the products in this recipe. The Washington variety oranges from Italy (supplied by La Sovrana), Cacklebean eggs from the Cotswolds and rosemary infused olive oil imported from Fattoria di Tullio in Abruzzo by Cambridgeshire’s Cucina di William really elevated this cake to new heights.

Those who have made my previous recipe for carrot muffins will know that I prefer using olive oil rather than butter as the bakes are lighter in texture. Rosemary and oranges make a great flavour combo, with the subtle hint of rosemary complementing the citrus.

Using an olive oil already infused with rosemary is a good shortcut but just olive oil works too, with the option to add finely chopped dried rosemary to the batter (or leave out the herb altogether if you’re not a fan).

Continue reading →