When I was pregnant with my son over six years ago, I started watching cooking shows regularly as a way to relax and take my mind off of work. Since then, I've been hooked and it is practically the only thing I watch on TV now. I DVR my favorite shows and catch up at night and on weekends.
The other night, I was watching a new show called Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel. It features actress, Debi Mazar, and her Italian husband, Gabriele Corcos, who shares a bunch of his Tuscan recipes. It's a neat show and I've already seen a few things I could see myself making. But what really caught my eye that night was this orange sponge cake, called "Schiacciata alla Fiorentina", which I learned is a Florentine Easter cake or a cake typically made for carnival in Tuscany. It is supposed to be spongy, light, and not too sweet. Not only did it sound great but I had all the ingredients to make the cake except for an orange. I couldn't wait to get that orange the next morning and try it!
It always amazes me what we can bake with a handful of ingredients that we can use over and over again in different recipes. In this instance, the result was a light, airy sponge cake with nice orange flavor. Not too heavy, this is a great option when you want something lighter than chocolate (although, I have to mention that orange and chocolate are sooo awesome together). I would make this for someone like my sister, who isn't into very rich, heavy desserts.
