Pomp & Circumstance. And LEGOs.

Graduation took place at Harvard this week and, though I technically graduated in March, going through all of the ceremonies made it feel quite a bit more official... putting on a cap and gown will do that! There are so few rituals and ceremonies in modern life beyond marrying and burying. Taking part in commencement suddenly linked this rite of passage to something bigger, more collective. And the LEGO buildings on mortar boards... that was our own twist on a (relatively recent) graduate school tradition!

Walnut-Orange Cake with Olive Oil

I hosted a little birthday celebration for a friend of mine who is a bit of a health nut. As a health(ier) alternative to a traditional birthday cake, I made this walnut-orange cake for dessert. It uses olive oil instead of butter and the finely chopped walnuts give it a hearty texture. Plenty of orange zest helps the citrus flavor hold up to baking, and lightly sweetened Greek yogurt has a tanginess that compliments that tastes and textures of the cake.

A dessert to enjoy, guilt free. Trust me... it's good for you!

Walnut-Orange Cake
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 cup olive oil

Powdered sugar
Greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with olive oil. Place parchment paper round in bottom of pan and oil the paper.

Grind walnuts in processor until finely ground but not powdery or chop finely. Combine ground walnuts, flour, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large bowl until frothy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until light, thick, and pale yellow, about 4 minutes. Gradually add walnut-flour mixture; then add orange juice, orange peel, and olive oil, beating just until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet, and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Release pan sides. Carefully invert cake onto platter and remove parchment paper. Once the cake has cooled well, sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
Combine 2 cups of Greek yogurt with 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and mix together until smooth. Serve with the cake as an alternative to whipped cream and garnish it with orange zest.
Adapted from Bon Appétit October 2007