“This olive oil cake is hard to beat. Irresistibly moist with a golden crust, it’s rich and flavourful and achingly simple. In fact, it’s about as straightforward as a cake gets. It suits any occasion, equally happy served for morning tea or rolled out for dessert (with the help of a little cream). It’s a cake that takes me through the seasons, as I serve it with the best fruit of the moment. Sometimes I’ll poach the fruit, other times I’ll serve it fresh – always with a dollop of crème fraîche or thick Greek yoghurt,” shares Elizabeth Hewson.
Serves 8
WHAT YOU NEED
For the cake
2 cups (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1½ cups (330g) caster (superfine) sugar
½ teaspoon salt flakes
3 eggs, whisked
1 cup (250ml) full-cream milk
1 cup (250ml) mellow extra virgin olive oil (see Note below), plus extra for drizzling
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
For the lemon and thyme glaze
4 ml (11/2 fl oz) lemon juice (from approx. 1 lemon)
115g (4 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
To serve
Sliced peaches (or your favourite fruit)
crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt (optional)
Note: Opt for a light and fruity oil here. Anything called mellow, light or classic will be fine.
WHAT TO DO
Preheat the oven to 170ËšC (350ËšF) fan-forced.
Oil a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with high sides, then line the base and sides with baking paper. I like to have a 5–10 cm (2–4 inch) overhang of baking paper to encourage the cake to rise evenly.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, olive oil, vanilla paste and lemon zest and juice.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
Pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is a beautiful golden colour and a skewer comes out clean. The cake sides will also be coming away from the tin. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and turn it out onto a cooling rack.
While the cake is cooling in the tin, mix the glaze together by combining all ingredients. Once you’ve turned the cake out, flip it right-side up onto a cooling rack and drizzle the glaze over the top. Leave to cool completely (for at least 1 hour) before slicing.
Serve with fruit and crème fraîche or thick Greek yoghurt, drizzled with olive oil.
Leftovers: This cake will keep quite happily for 3 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
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