Olive Oil Cake

1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing pan (I use California Olive Ranch)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting pan and sprinkling on top of cake
2 cups cake flour
1/3 cup almond meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
3 tablespoons orange liqueur (I use Patron Citron)
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil or lemon olive oil

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F. Line bottom of 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Grease sides and bottom of the pan with olive oil. Dust bottom and sides of pan with sugar and tap out excess.

Whisk cake flour, almond flour, powder, soda, and salt in a bowl.

Mix liqueur, lemon juice and vanilla in another small bowl.

Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk eggs, lemon zest, and sugar together on high until mixture is pale yellow and thick. It should form a ribbon when whisk is lifted.

With mixer on high, gradually add olive oil.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the liqueur mixture, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients.

Scrape mixture into pan.

Sprinkle top with more sugar.

Place cake in oven, close the oven door, and reduce oven to 350F. Bake 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Keep a close eye on the cake…if it becomes too dark before baked through, cover with aluminum foil. Let cake cool for 15 minutes and then poke holes in top with a toothpick and drizzle the 2 Tablespoons of best quality oil over the top.

Run a knife around the edges of the cake and remove sides of the pan.

Let cool completely and then store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Use a good grocery store olive oil in the cake, but an expensive finishing olive oil or lemon-flavored olive oil to drizzle on the cake once done baking.

It lasts 4-5 days.

Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

You can serve the cake with fresh berries and Greek yogurt seasoned with vanilla and honey.