This light and moist cake will carry you through the holidays and, for that matter, any day. Redolent with orange and cardamom and spiked with Grand Marnier, it's delicious for brunch or afternoon tea and spiffy enough for dessert. Almond flour adds a slight nuttiness and wholesome crumb to the cake. Do not skimp on the orange zest, as it adds a zing of citrus flavor and fragrance. The sea salt is optional in the glaze, but if you lean that way, really go for it.

The flavors of the cake will develop while it cools, and the glaze will ensure lasting moistness, which makes this cake an entertainer's best friend. Store the cake at room temperature for up to three days, but it will likely be eaten before that.

Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake

Active time: 20 minutes

Total time: 1 hour plus cooling time

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Cake:

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup almond meal

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)

Pinch of sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan; line with parchment and butter the parchment.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until light in color. Add the olive oil, orange juice, zest, vanilla and almond extracts and stir to blend.

Combine the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the wet ingredients, stirring to blend without overmixing. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. Combine the sugar and orange juice in a small saucepan. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and the liquid reduces to a syrupy consistency, about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the liqueur, if using, and sea salt and simmer briefly, about 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Transfer the cake from the oven to a wire rack. Brush the top with the glaze and cool 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and then brush the sides of the cake with the glaze. Cool completely.

Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar and/or with whipped cream. If desired, add a tablespoon of the (thoroughly cooled) glaze to the cream while whipping. Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days.

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Add this recipe to your holiday spread. It's healthy, gluten-free and finger-friendly -- a perfect addition to a cocktail party or buffet. I can't get enough of these wraps and neither can my guests. Not only are they delicious, they are also pretty to look at. Crisp kale leaves are stuffed with a salty, smoky salad of flaked salmon, studded with capers, lemon, fresh dill and chives. Thanks to the sturdiness of the kale leaves, the wraps can be assembled in advance and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, which is ideal for entertaining. I recommend making an extra batch of the salmon salad, because it's that good.

Smoked Salmon Kale Wraps

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Yield: makes 24 to 30 wraps

12 ounces hot smoked salmon, flaked

1/4 cup whole milk Greek yogurt

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon rinsed and chopped capers

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup minced chives

8 to 10 lacinato (Tuscan) kale leaves

1 lemon, halved

Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Combine the salmon, yogurt, red onion, lemon juice, capers, and Tabasco in a bowl. Stir with a fork to blend. If too dry, moisten with 1 to 2 more tablespoons lemon juice. Add the black pepper and salt, to taste. Fold in the chopped dill and the chives.

Cut the kale leaves crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Place 2 to 3 teaspoons salmon salad in the center of each leaf and fold the leaf around the salmon, pressing gently to hold in place. Repeat with remaining kale leaves. Arrange the wraps on a serving platter. Sprinkle with lemon juice and garnish with dill sprigs. Serve immediately. The wraps can also be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before serving.

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In the weeks preceding Christmas, luxurious saffron is both celebratory and fragrant, bestowing a beautiful golden hue to treats and sweets. Saffron bread or Santa Lucia bread is a delicious Swedish sweet bread, which celebrates the return of light during the dark winter solstice. The decorative buns are traditionally made to celebrate the Feast of Saint Lucia on Dec. 13 by forming billowy, saffron-scented dough into various shapes (lussekatter) and buns. It's a wonderful family-friendly tradition, as everyone can help to shape the buns and, of course, eat them, still warm from the oven and slathered with butter.

You don't need to be Swedish to enjoy these fragrant golden treats. I have been making saffron bread with my Danish husband since we first met. In the early years before our children were born, we made a point of inviting friends with children to help us make the bread, since this holiday tradition is not complete without little fingers rolling and tasting the dough. While the bread rose, we would take long walks in the nearby forest before returning home to a crackling fire to shape and bake the breads, which we enjoyed with a glass of mulled wine or tea. Now we have our own children to help, but we continue to share this tradition with our friends.

Saffron Bread

Active time: 1 hour

Total time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Yield: makes about 24 buns

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1/4 teaspoon sugar, plus 2/3 cup

2/3 cup unsalted European-style butter

2 cups whole milk

2 envelopes active dry yeast

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup raisins, plus extra for garnish

1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a small bowl, crush the saffron and the 1/4 teaspoon sugar with a spoon.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the milk and heat over medium-low until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees).

Place the yeast in a large bowl, add 1/4 cup of the warm milk, and stir to dissolve. Let the mixture stand until it foams, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add the remaining milk and the saffron, the 2/3 cup sugar, and the salt, and stir once or twice to blend. Add 6 1/2 cups flour to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. The dough should be sticky but not too wet; add more flour, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in the 1/2 cup raisins and then knead the dough until it pulls away from the bowl and is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free spot, such as the oven with the pilot light on. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form the dough into shapes by grabbing a small handful and, with light hands, rolling into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Roll the rope into an "S" shape, or braid 2 ropes together. Place the shapes on a baking tray.

Lightly brush the breads with the egg and garnish the folds and corners with a few raisins. (Add the raisins after you glaze the bread to prevent them from burning.)

Bake until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly on wire racks. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve warm with butter.

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