For the cake

1. Heat the oven to 350 °F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and powder. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest, and juice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. It is a moist cake so there may be some crumbs that stick to the toothpick, just make sure it’s not raw batter! Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
4. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack lined with parchment paper (this avoids lines on the top of your cake) and let cool completely.

For the syrup

1. In a medium saucepan, add water, cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar.
2. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture starts to thicken.
3. Add cherries and cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce is at a light boil, about 12–15 minutes. Once the sauce is thickened and simmering, remove from heat.
4. Cool to room temperature then drizzle over slices of cake. Cover and store remaining sauce in an airtight container until ready to use.

Altura Collection Late Harvest Primitivo
Aromas of raisins, dates, dried cherries, and a hint of oak. On the palate, the soft tannins and the richness of the wine mirrors the nose, with notes of dates and baking spice. 

Download the recipe here.