Have you ever had a Kumquat? They are a little tiny orange usually with an oval shape. In Spanish we call them “naranjitas chinas” and that is because they are a native citrus fruit of China. Here in the U.S. they grow in the sates of Florida & California. In Wisconsin they are hard to come by; which is why I got my organic kumquats delivered to my door from Melissa’s. The funny thing about kumquats is that even when they are a citrus you get to eat the whole fruit, peel included; although they do have seeds that need to be removed, especially if you are feeding it to children. I cut it in half remove the seeds and take a bite that is citrusy, bitter, tart an sweet all at the same time hitting almost every element of taste. Believe it or not the peel is the sweet part of the fruit.

There were few things that came to mind when I was thinking about what I could make with kumquats. I once had duck with candied kumquats while dining in Boston and it was superb, so I know I could possibly use them in a savory dish. I like to let my imagination take me places when I take the first bite of something, in this case while savoring the juicy kumquat I also remember Port de Soller in Mallorca, Spain. The beautiful orange and olive trees everywhere. The citrusy smell on the air. I remembered my stop at a local bakery where I had a creamy & sweet tart topped with slices of oranges. Then I knew that I had to transform my kumquats into a sweet treat.

I made a kumquat marmalade and then use it for a cake that has almond flavors. Inspired on my memories of Mallorca I used olive oil for the fat on my cake. The result was a fluffy, citrusy and delicate cake that I used to celebrate my boy’s birthday. If you ever find yourself in the mood for an explosion of flavors I invite you to try this exotic and magical fruit.

Ingredients:

For the Marmalade:
(makes about 2 cups of marmalade)
16 oz. Organic Kumquats (from Melissa’s)
2 cups water
2/3 cup organic sugar
1 Tablespoon orange liquor
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cake:
(makes a 10 inches ring cake)
1 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup almond milk
1 cup Kumquat Marmalade

For the cake pan:
1 Tablespoon butter, soften
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Method:

For the marmalade:
Using a paring knife cut the kumquats into fine slices, removing all the seeds. Set aside enough kumquat slices to fill in the bottom of your pan. In a medium sauce pan add the sliced kumquats, water, sugar, orange liquor and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Bring the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally until the fruit is transparent and the liquid has reduced into a jelly-like consistency, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Marmalade can be made ahead. It will keep in the refrigerator in a tight lid container for up to 2 weeks.

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a ring cake pan with the soften butter and sprinkle with flour, making sure is completely coated and tossing the excess flour. Arrange the slices of kumquat around the pan. Using an electric mixer combine the sugar and oil in a large bowl. Mix on high speed until the sugar and oil form a thick paste, lower the speed and start adding the eggs, one at a time, add the almond milk. Mix until well combined. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. With the electric mixer running on low start spooning in the dry ingredients to obtain a thick batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the kumquat marmalade, making sure it’s well combined with the batter. Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan, bake in the preheated 350 degrees oven until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer the cake into a cooling rack and let cool about 15 minutes before unmolding. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

This post was sponsored by Melissa’s. Visit their website to get organic produce delivered to your door.