For those of us who are taking statins to reduce our cholesterol, it seems ridiculous that I’m even suggesting a cake with two sticks of butter. But that is the reason we take the medication… so we can eat the cake. Right?
A distinct problem for those of us on “Statin Island” is that we cannot have grapefruit. It has an unfortunate interaction with this class of drugs. Funny, I never craved grapefruit until I couldn’t have it. Then, I really, really wanted it. Care to explain that to me?
This recipe, as printed in The NY Times was a grapefruit crumb cake. I made it as written and and found it way too salty for me, and kind of bitter. I don’t think the grapefruit was the right fruit for this cake, especially when the crumb topping contains cinnamon and cardamom. These spices are much better bedfellows with oranges or, at least, I think so. So I took things into my own hands…
This change made me and my doctor happy. (Well, she was happy about the deletion of grapefruit, not so much about the butter…) But the revised flavors are really wonderful and it can be served for breakfast as well as dessert.
~ David
Orange Crumb Cake
Click icon below to print recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3-4 large sweet oranges (Cara Caras would be pretty!)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed, softened
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.
- For the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, 2/3 cup light brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir in melted butter to form 1/2-inch crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line a baking sheet or plate with a double layer of paper towels. Finely grate 1 tablespoon of zest from the oranges; set aside.
- Cut top and bottom off oranges with a sharp knife, then slice away peel so no white pith remains. Cut out the orange segments by running your knife on the inside edges of each segment, leaving behind the white membranes; the remaining segments are known as suprèmes.
- Set the suprèmes on the paper-towel-lined pan or plate to dry out slightly. You should have about 1 1/2 cups orange suprèmes; a little more is okay.
- For the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk sour cream, eggs, vanilla and orange zest. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat in the softened butter for 10 seconds, then beat in the sour cream mixture until smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Distribute orange suprèmes evenly across the top of the cake, then top with the crumbs.
- Bake until springy when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before releasing the sides of the pan and serving.
- Serves 10-12.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Chef Mimi
April 9, 2022 at 5:49 amHa! Statin island. Cracks me up! I just started on one…. I like the changes you made. Grapefruit does seem like a weird fruit for this.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2022 at 6:50 amThanks Mimi – sometimes, making up the titles can be my favorite part! The orange is so far superior to the grapefruit. This is so good for breakfast with tea, coffee
Susan Manfull
April 9, 2022 at 6:10 pmI LOVE grapefruit ( good grapefruit) but oranges do sound much better! Yum!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
April 9, 2022 at 6:49 amVery similar to a sour cream coffee cake I’ve made since I was a teen, but love the orange twist! Now I want a slice with my tea!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2022 at 7:52 amThe citrus gives it such a nice edge! You should have a slice with your tea!
John / Kitchen Riffs
April 9, 2022 at 7:37 amYou write the best titles. 🙂 I, too, take a statin, and have talked to my doctor about grapefruit — not so much because I want to eat it all the time, but because I want to use an ounce or so of the juice occasionally in a cocktail. He’s OK with that as long as it’s closer to seldom than occasionally. 🙂 Anyway, this is an excellent looking cake! And did I say I really like the name? 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
April 9, 2022 at 7:55 amYou and I share a love of humor, John. (In addition to our love of food & drink!) It is fun coming up with titles… Lucky for me, the statin I am on allows for some grapefruit, especially when it is at the opposite time of day from the pill-taking. So evening cocktails are the perfect time for me!
Gerlinde
April 9, 2022 at 9:33 amCoffee cakes like this are my favorite David and this one looks great . I love your title, I think most of us (including me) are on statins . Let’s stay healthy and happy.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:19 amI often say that we have “better living through chemistry.” And I mean it! Glad you like the cake!
Eha
April 9, 2022 at 3:59 pmBig warm Sunday morning hello from Down Under 🙂 ! Changed my LDL to desirable HDL by choices in diet . . . no statins, no cake and ‘yes’ to grapefruit . . . the cake looks appetizing > enjoy !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:21 amWhile it works for some, your remedy may not work for all. Genetics plays a huge part and often medicines, like statins, save lives. I am envious of your ability to convert the LDL — but several years of exercise and diet did nothing for me. I continue to blame genetics.
Pauline McNee
April 9, 2022 at 5:04 pmGreat post David and happy Sunday for cake from Oz, and marvellous cake. We are entering into citrus heaven so this looks perfect. I’m not on statins, just genetically lucky in that regard I guess but other half is so I know your dilemma. Love that you don’t have to boil the oranges before adding to this cake. Take care , Pauline
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:22 amYou are fortunate Pauline. Sorry about your other half, but at least we have something to keep us on an even keel. The cake is just fantastic… I hope you try it!
Jeff the Chef
April 10, 2022 at 8:21 amThis cake looks delicious! I love that it has orange in it.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:23 amThanks, Jeff… orange was the perfect choice.
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
April 10, 2022 at 4:43 pmThe cake looks so tasty!
Orange-cardamom is a wonderful aromatic combination that I use a lot, so I’m adding this to my “to try soon” list asap. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:23 amAnd the touch of cinnamon with the cardamom is perfect, Ronit!
Sherry M
April 10, 2022 at 8:27 pmhow very odd about the grapefruit! your cake looks delectable anyway. and i love those spicy flavours. Yes i had a giggle at your title too.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:24 amSherry — apparently grapefruit augments the statin and provides your body with too much, which can be dangerous, too. Go figure.
2pots2cook
April 11, 2022 at 5:57 amSo much better to use oranges with cinnamon and cardamom instead of grapefruit! Sounds great to have both for breakfast and snack, too!
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:25 amAfter trying it with the grapefruit (without telling my doctor), I thought immediately of oranges… much better.
JOHANNA LOCKHART
April 11, 2022 at 4:53 pmHello David,
Just sampled this perfect cake/coffee cake…used Vietnamese cinnamon and vanilla paste. Used 3 large oranges, but would use 4 next time, as suggested. Hadn’t “supremed” in ages…its all in the knife ! Cooked for 55 min…checked at 50 min and probably should have pulled it. Sides abit brown (same as your photo)…wonder if I had buttered the sides and bottom w a heavy hand? All tastes fine…truly delicious..will test freezing a piece.. crumb topping wonderful.. did refrig crumb topping but left in too long; had to chop it up again. Probably should have let it get back to room temp…but crumbled it up w a meat fork…success….loved the subtle cardamom flavor! Thanks for another unique recipe for this beginner scratch baker! Ps. Your Irish Soda Bread is another, ” Must have recipe” request by all…Best, Johanna
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:28 amThe Vietnamese cinnamon from Penzeys is my favorite! I’m so pleased you enjoyed the cake… the dark brown is must likely from the butter but I didn’t find it offensive or overcooked. The crumb topping rocks!
And it is time for the soda bread, too. Didn’t make any this year for March 17!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
April 12, 2022 at 4:59 amSounds delicious, David! With or without grapefruit. I kinda wish I had a piece right now, it would be so nice to go with my morning coffee.
You know, after a lifetime of low to normal cholesterol, in my last two annual checkups I’ve registered borderline cholesterol. It’s a bit disconcerting even though I’m not at the statin stage (yet). Another sign of getting old, I guess… ?
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:30 amHey, we all get old, Frank! The important thing is to do it gracefully, right? I hope you can avoid statins … but there are worse things. 🙂
Raymund
April 12, 2022 at 8:21 pmOh yeah, I can feel you, those statins. yes cant have grapefruit too but similar to you, I never craved for it.
Good replacement though, I love orange or even mandarin over grapefruits.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:31 amI always have preferred oranges over grapefruit, too, Raymund. But, every once in a while, a grapefruit right off the tree, still warm from the sun, tastes amazing. (Don’t tell my doctor.)
Valentina
April 13, 2022 at 12:32 pmI agree with you that orange is a much better choice here — especially with those spices. Looks and sounds so delicious, and I’d love it with a creamy cup of coffee. Hey, at least it’s grapefruit you can’t eat, and not chocolate. 😉 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:34 amYou know. I am always grateful that my allergy is one little thing. Much better to be allergic to garlic (yes, you would survive without it — I did!) than to gluten, dairy, chocolate, tomatoes, wine (dear God, no!), or nuts. I consider myself lucky.
And, as for the NY Times and those spices? What were they thinking:
Jean | Delightful Repast
April 14, 2022 at 8:34 amDavid, I do love a grapefruit! But not in a cake. That’s what we have oranges and lemons and limes for, right? Your changes to the recipe were all necessary, IMHO. I think a bigger factor than butter in high cholesterol is actually sugar. I consider my good organic unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil healthy fats and only avoid seed oils, hydrogenated shortening, margarine, and an excess of meat fats.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:34 amI honestly should never have made it as printed first, Jean. My first thought was “why grapefruit?” I was right and the cake was so much more interesting the second time.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
April 16, 2022 at 9:54 amYou gave me a real chuckle…” that is the reason we take the medication… so we can eat the cake”. That sounds like something my husband would say. The cake sounds delicious and I think orange is the perfect flavor combination with the spices used.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:35 amThanks. Karen. I think I will like your husband!
John
April 16, 2022 at 2:48 pmI love any kind of dessert that contains orange, so this cake is right up my alley. I looked at the NY Times recipe as I was curious about your comment about it being salty. Now I can see why, and I much prefer your adaptation.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:37 amI know I am in the minority, but “a pinch of salt” doesn’t actually always help. Drives me crazy when I bite into a cookie/biscuit and I taste salt above all else. Slater but plus a pinch? Sheesh! I hope you get a chance to make this, John, now that you are entering citrus season.
Inger
April 16, 2022 at 8:06 pmJust in time for brunch season David! So agree on the orange and it was interesting to see comments on the original about leaving off the cinnamon with the grapefruit.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 17, 2022 at 8:38 amThat is funny, Inger — I never read any of the comments on this cake. I think I mailed it right as it came out, so perhaps there were none. But there are some huge disconnects here in the flavor department!
Virtuve
May 1, 2022 at 2:00 pmDelicius recipe, thank you! Wishes from Lithuania!
Kelly | Foodtasia
May 30, 2022 at 7:13 pmDavid, what a wonderful cake! Love the oranges in it and that topping is everything! The perfect cake to snack on all day long. You’ve got me craving a grapefruit though which I haven’t had in ages!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 2, 2022 at 4:00 pmEvery once in a while, I sneak in a grapefruit. But I don’t tell my doctor… However, I am pretty sure you’ll agree with me that orange is the better choice for this cake!