As a butter cake purist, I've rarely ever strayed from a light sugar-butter creaming method for my cakes (unless I was using a cake mix which often requires vegetable oil for ultimate moistness). However, more and more I have seen beautiful, light, finely crumbed cakes made with olive oil, especially for rustic summer weddings. While we in America have turned to solidified dairy fats for our cake making, people in the olive-rich Mediterranean have been using olive oil for savory AND sweet recipes for years. Don't be afraid that your good olive oil is going to waste, or will bring too strong a flavor to the party, because the texture and lightness it brings to cake, as well as the subtle olive flavor, really balances a cake that can often become too sweet. With some citrus and vanilla (and some alcohol), I have made a deliciously simple cake with the help of Martha Stewart's Olive Oil Cake tips. The little bit of almond flour not only brings a nutty flavor to the cake, but it speckles the batter and makes it just the more beautiful. Right out of the oven, this cake has the lightest bounce, and over time (I have made this the night before) the olive oil makes it even more moist without making it dense. I often serve this cake either with a drizzle of citrus syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream and mixed berries. Even a simple grating of lemon zest over the top and a rosemary garnish when serving brings something extra to the table!
KEEP IN MIND: Whipping the egg whites may seem like an extra step to complicate things, but this is really important. I have tried just whipping unseparated eggs with sugar and although that brings some air into the batter, it just isn't enough. Because you can't cream olive oil like you would butter, you need a substantial amount of help bringing air in so that the cake rises beautifully and is light and fluffy!
YOU'LL NEED:
9-inch spring form pan (a regular 9-inch cake pan will do, just make sure you grease and flour it and put a parchment circle on the bottom!)
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 tsps. salt
3/4 cup, and another 1/3 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin is best, don't be afraid of the stronger flavor!)
3 Tbsp. buttermilk
2 tsps. grated lemon zest
3 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
2 tsps. grated orange zest
1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
2 tsps. Vanilla extract
*optional* 1-2 tablespoons Cointreau (orange liqueur) and 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
Powdered Sugar for dusting/decoration
Whipped cream (2 cups heavy cream, 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Directions:
1 - Brush your 9-inch pan in oil and dust with a thin layer of flour. For extra security, you can line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, but oil and flour the parchment as well.
2 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees, set rack to the middle of the oven.
3 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4 - In another bowl, beat egg yolks, lemon and orange zest, and the 3/4 cup of sugar until lighter in color and thick, about 2-4 minutes. Slowly add in olive oil, then the vanilla. Slowly add in lemon and orange juice, along with the optional Cointreau and Maple Syrup if you desire. Mix well to combine all the liquids.
5- Add 1 Tbsp. of the buttermilk and combine. Add the dry flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour in the rest of the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
6- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Slowly pour in 1/3 cup of sugar, then beat on medium-high speed until it holds soft, shiny peaks, 3-5 minutes.
7- Stir in about 1/3 of the egg white mixture to lighten. Genty fold in the rest of the egg whites by hand with a spatula until just combined and there are no white streaks. Don't over mix as you want to keep in as much air as you can in the batter!
8- Pour batter into your prepared pan, gently smooth over the top with your spatula to level. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester/tooth pick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, about 45-55 minutes.
9- Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Then, remove cake from pan and let the cake cool completely on rack, around 45 min-1 hour. Once completely cooled, transfer to your plate of choice, decorate and serve!
10- If you wish to serve this cake with whipped cream, you can make it while the cake is cooling out of the pan. Whisk heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft-medium peaks form. Start slow and then increase the whisking speed to ensure you don't over mix and make butter!
