Olive Oil Cake

 

 

From Mina…

If there is one thing I have made that has a cult following, this is it.

It is dense and rich without being too dense and too rich.

It is the best dessert but also the best breakfast.

It bakes and fills your house (or very small apartment) with the aroma of orange, cinnamon and cloves.

 

 

It sends you to a place where wrapping a white sheet around your body, pit pattering around your house and  pretending like you are a Greek Goddess seems OK- even normal. (Sneak peaks into my life I’m not sure I should share…)

Feel free to use, or not use, the walnut topping. This cake is good upside down, right side up, walnut topping or no walnut topping.

 

Olive Oil Cake 

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1 1/2 cups olive oil

1 cup milk or yogurt

 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (it will take about 3 oranges)

1/4 cup cognac

zest of 2 oranges

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup semolina (you can use all flour if you can’t find this)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Walnut Topping

1 cup finely chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

1/2 cup granulated or demerara sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

-pre-heat oven to 350

-lightly oil a 10″ circular cake pan or a rectangular pan and dust with flour*

-mix dry ingredients (except for walnuts if using) and make a well in the center

-beat eggs with 1 1/2 cups sugar and whisk remaining wet ingredients all together

-pour into dry ingredients and whisk until combined

-dust top of cake with the walnut, sugar, cinnamon mixture

-bake for about 40 minutes to an hour (depending on your pan) Until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown

*this is a very forgiving cake. I always get irritated when recipes call for a “specific” pan. I have made this cake in almost any medium sized (think around 10″) rectangular or circular pan and it comes out fine. Check more often in the last 10 minutes of baking so you can adjust the timing accordingly.