Lemon Olive Oil Cake

I love cake. Almost any kind of cake, doesn’t matter. But alas, gluten doesn’t love me back, so we had to break up. So - undaunted, as a pastry chef first - I have found ways to reinvent my old recipes into new and glorious interpretations. This is no exception. I’ve always loved combining ingredients you would expect to only be in savory dishes into pastries. Olive oil gives this cake a rustic, unctuous texture. The almond flour lends depth without being heavy, because the egg whites, folded into the batter at the end, make the batter rise into a light crumb. The balsamic berries are a must for topping. Again, using a savory ingredient is a sweet surprise. You could leave out the honey and it would be just as delicious, but I like how it makes the syrup a little richer. Prepare the berries ahead of time and allow them to sit at room temperature so the flavors can meld together. This is the perfect spring dessert.

Yield: 8

Living Delish & Nutrish: Tina Wells

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Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

• ½ cup flavorful extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup honey
• finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs, divided
• 2 cups extra fine almond flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon grain-free baking powder (or use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (for egg whites)

Balsamic Berries

• 3 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries
• 1/4 cup fruity balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey

Method

1. Preheat to 325ºF. Prepare an 8 or 9 inch cake pan with coconut oil or ghee, and place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. (Using an 8 inch pan will yield a taller cake, 9 inch will yield a narrower, wider cake.)
2. Divide the egg yolks and whites, placing the whites into a bowl of a stand mixer, or bowl with high sides for a hand mixer. Place the yolks into a bowl large enough to accommodate the remaining ingredients.
3. Mix the egg yolks, olive oil, ½ cup honey, lemon zest and juiceto combine.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients to eliminate any lumps. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir to completely combine.
5. Whip the egg whites on high speed, add the cream of tartar when whites begin to turn opaque. Whip to soft peak stage. (When the whites are firm enough to hold a peak that bends slightly at the top, this is soft peak stage). Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the to "temper" and lighten the batter. Then gently fold in the remaining whites.
6. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes, rotate pan and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. When a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean, the cake is finished.
7. Turn cake out onto a cooling rack and remove the paper. Allow to cool.

Balsamic Berries

1. Cut strawberries into bite-size pieces, and mix with other berries of your choice.
2. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey and stir to completely coat berries. Allow to macerate at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
3. To serve, simply ladle some berries over a cake slice.

https://www.livingdelishandnutrish.com/recipe/lemon-olive-oil-cake

©Tina Wells Luxury Brands, LLC

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