Olive Oil Bundt Cake

We decided last night at Easter dinner that I will make the desserts for all family dinners at my grandma's house (with the addition of the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve where Chris will make his crab stuffed mushrooms & I'll make the honey balls). So desserts are my thing since my grandmother & aunt have the dinner down to feed a few small country instead of pint-sized family members. 

This Easter I made some new desserts which is always a risk but I think they went well.  The first of the two desserts I made was an olive oil cake. I've had olive oil cake at La Columbe & it was delish so I searched the internet for a recipe that spoke to me. I found Gina DePalma's recipe for an almond olive oil cake by way of Lottie + Doof's blog.

I know what you're probably thinking - olive oil cake - that's a little weird. And no this is not an April Fools joke (although, happy april fools!).  But honestly if you like pound cake, almonds & a buttery glaze - there is really nothing you won't love about this cake. It's pretty easy to make. Sure there's a few steps but it's not all that bad. Plus if you're making it for a holiday party that you don't have to cook an entire dinner for your family why not spend that time baking up this cake. I used our bundt pan because it gives the cake in interesting shape but you can definitely use a spring form pan or just a regular cake pan too, it'll still be delish.

Ingredients For the Cake

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour or meal (I ground up about 1/2 cup of almond in my food processor to make my own)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• Grated zest of 1/4 a of a medium orange
• 1/2 cup orange juice (or juice of two large oranges)

Ingredients For Glaze:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk (I used half & half- pretty sure a fattier milk is the way to go)
• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan (or a bundt pan!)  and set aside. (I sprayed mine with a vegetable cooking spray (skipped the flour) & it worked just fine.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and set aside.
3. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk them lightly to break up the yolks. 
4. Add the sugar to the bowl and whisk it in very thoroughly. 
5. Add the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is a bit lighter in color and has thickened slightly, about 45-60 seconds. 
6. Whisk in the extracts and zest, followed by the orange juice.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk until they are thoroughly combined; continue whisking until you have a smooth, emulsified batter, about 30 more seconds.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake the cake for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating the cake pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. 
9. The cake is done when it has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, springs back slightly when touched, and a cake tester comes out clean.
10. Allow the cake to cool for ten minutes in the pan, then gently remove it from the pan and allow it cool completely on a rack.
11. When the cake is almost finished cooling, make the glaze. 
12. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small, heavy saucepan. When the bubbles subside, lower the heat and watch the butter carefully, swirling it in the pan occasionally to distribute the heat. When the butter begins to turn a light tan color and smells slightly nutty, turn off the heat and let the butter sit. It will continue to darken as it sits.
13. While the butter cools, sift the confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk until completely smooth but thick, then slowly whisk in the butter. 
14. Taste the glaze and add a few drops of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Stir in the toasted almonds. Spread the almonds and glaze onto the top and sides of the cake and let it sit until set and dry.