Picture Perfect Olive Oil Cake Food

OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan using extra-virgin olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Oil the parchment and flour the pan, shaking out any excess flour.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer set on high, beat the sugar, eggs and lemon zest until very thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, slowly drizzle in the oil and beat until incorporated, another 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add milk and lemon juice. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the top using an offset spatula and sprinkle the top with about 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to release the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the cake onto a plate and then flip it back over onto the rack to cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Make the syrup at least a day ahead. When ready, bring 3 cups water, sugar, honey, and cardamom to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, and syrup is reduced to 3 1/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Strain syrup, removing cardamom pods and seeds.
• When ready to make the cake, first, preheat oven to 350F, then brush 9" diameter springform pan with oil.
• Have two medium bowls and one large bowl set aside. In the first medium bowl, whisk both flours and the baking powder, ground cardamom, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
• Using an electric mixer with the large bowl, beat 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil for 1 minute. Beat in yolks, then add the flour mixture. Beat in yogurt, zest, and extracts.
• In the other medium bowl and using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar until firm peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter just to blend, in 2 portions. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Pierce hot cake all over with a thin metal skewer. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup warm syrup all over. When syrup is absorbed, slowly pour 3/4 cup more syrup over. Reserve remaining syrup to use during serving.
• Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around edge of pan to release cake. Remove pan sides. Sprinkle almonds over. Cut into wedges and serve drizzled with more syrup.

OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. Oil and flour a 9-inch loaf pan. Whisk first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, olive oil and orange zest to blend. Gradually whisk this into the flour mixture. Scrape into your loaf pan.
• Bake about 60 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan, on rack, for 20 minutes, then cool completely on rack.
• This would do well with a little orange or lemon chutney. Or even some whipped cream. Enjoy, friends!