Orange Olive Oil Cake with Toasted Almonds

This video demonstrates using Convection to bake a light flavorful cake made with toasted ground almonds a little cake flour and eggs, with orange zest added in for flavor. Using olive oil as the fat adds flavor as well as health benefits and, the cake stores well for several days.

One of the best things about baking at home is the fact that you will have control over the ingredients you use. Baked items do include fats and sugar but deciding which fats and sweeteners you use can make all the difference. I am using a mild flavored California olive oil from California Olive Ranch, that I find works well for baking.

INGREDIENTS

1 - cup whole raw almonds lightly toasted and cooled

¾ - cup twice-sifted cake flour

1 ½ - teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of kosher or sea salt

4 - large eggs

1 - cup sugar

1 - teaspoon vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of one small orange or Meyer lemon

⅔ - cup extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

Heat the oven in the Convection or Convection Bake mode 325 degrees.

Spread the almonds onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake for approximately 8 minutes until the nuts are lightly toasted.  Set aside to cool.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9” round cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

Place the almonds in a food processor with one third of the cake flour and process until almost as fine as sand.  In a medium sized bowl whisk together the remaining cake flour, baking powder and salt then whisk in the ground almond mixture.

In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs on high speed until well-blended. Add the sugar gradually then add the vanilla dn orange zest, continue whipping on high speed until the mixture triples in volume, about 3 minutes.

On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with the olive oil and beating just until the batter is blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the Convectin or Convection Bake mode at 325 degrees, for 30 - 35 minutes until firm to the touch in the center.  Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a rack.

Recipe from “Wine Country Table ” author Janet Fletcher