1. 1. Prepare Your Baking Pan and Oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal. This step is crucial for preventing the cake from sticking.

2. 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure these are thoroughly combined to ensure even leavening throughout the cake. Set this bowl aside.

3. 3. Mix Wet Ingredients (Except Olive Oil): In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and eggs. Beat them together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 3-5 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale yellow, thick, and fluffy. This aeration is key to a light cake texture.

4. 4. Incorporate Olive Oil and Flavorings: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, mixing until just combined. Then, add the fresh blood orange juice, blood orange zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is incorporated, being careful not to overmix. The mixture will look a bit liquidy at this stage.

5. 5. Fold in Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, folding gently with a spatula after each addition until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.

6. 6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared cake pan. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown around the edges and spring back lightly when touched.

7. 7. Cool and Glaze: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. This allows the cake to set properly. After this initial cooling, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, prepare the optional glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and blood orange juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before serving.