Blood Orange Cake~And Downton.

I know many many   ..all ..of you.. shared my love of Downton..

Happy New Year is all I will say in case some of you did not catch the finale..♥
Marie you were right!

I just watched it and wished I had had a glass of champagne.

I think we are all richer for the beautiful decors,clothes,flowers,landscape.

I don't even have the words to describe this wonderful series that kept us coming back to see more..

It's been a wonderful television viewing experience for us.


When I made this cake..my mise en place was very sunny and cheerful..the shape was so pretty and it came out perfectly..
right away I thought..this will be my little Downton Farewell Cake~

And here it is..adapted from  here~

Here's a little Blood Orange Cake w/ honey and a touch of sour cream..

2 eggs..I used Alain's
50 grams butter melted and cooled
2 tbsps EVOO
a tbsp sour cream
2 tbsps brown sugar
3 tbsps honey
150 grams of flour
100 ml blood orange juice
1 tsp grated blood orange rind
vanilla (see notes below)
8 grams baking powder(see notes)
1 dash baking soda

Icing sugar..

Beat eggs w/ sugar and honey and oil..the tbsp of sour cream..add melted and cooled butter..blood orange juice and vanilla..next the flour that you have sifted w/ the bp and bs.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 F oven for ap 25 mins..mine took longer..
My mold is small I will post a photo of the mold I used below:)
A small cake like this will last a good week here..Jacques is the sweet eater..and he is content w/ small portions.

The day I made this cake..it was not destined to be for Downton..so  bright and cheery ..my mise en place..

See how small the mold is? Compare it to the blood orange..
I have to tell you those molds are great.

I have posted about them before..Amazon..here.. a nested set..not non-stick..yet a spray and a whisper..and this cake came out flawlessly.

When the cake came together...it looked like Downton;)
Isobel's house..something you would eat at Isobel's house.

So here's the thing..I watched a Stefano show a long time ago and he said he loved the envelopes of vanilla and baking powder mixed together in one....well I do too..so for this recipe I used it..

I make my own vanilla sugar..but when in Little Italy I spoil myself w/ pretty envelopes;)
The Baking powder/yeast type /vanilla mix I like is the Bertolini you see..
1 envelope is good for 500 grams of flour.

Meanwhile..as I drive along Main Road..as the temps rise..and the snow melts..

One of my favorite sights~

Apart from Downton in the snow:)♥