Coffee & Cake: A Perfect Pair

As a follow-up to Amy Zavatto’s article on coffee dinners in the Jan/Feb 08 issue, Jerry Fischetti, associate professor at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, shares one of his favorite coffee/food pairings: Monkey Joe’s Guatemala La Voz full city roast, brewed in a press pot, and Orange Marmalade Glazed Olive Oil Cake. Here’s what he has to say…

“La Voz, short for La Voz que Clama en el Desierto (The Voice that Cries Out in the Desert), is produced in the Lake Atitlan region of Guatemala, and this fair-trade coffee cooperative has been certified organic since 1992. The dark, rich, complex, sweet and highly aromatic La Voz coffee pairs nicely with this ultra-moist olive oil cake. The flavors of orange, allspice and pure vanilla, along with the lush aromatics from the La Voz, blend beautifully for a true olfactory experience.”

Olive Oil Cake
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups olive oil (any olive oil with a mild flavor)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Zest of 3 oranges, grated
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. allspice (freshly ground if possible)

Marmalade Glaze
12 oz. orange marmalade
6 oz. orange liqueur
Blend and set aside for glazing the cake. Adjust the amount of liqueur to make a smooth glaze that pours off a spoon.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt cake pan. Whisk eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy (1 minute). Mix olive oil, milk, zest and vanilla together and blend with the egg/sugar mix. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and allspice, then add to the wet mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour mixture into the Bundt pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. Turn onto a serving plate and spoon the glaze over the cake. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.

What do you pair with your favorite coffee?