#bakeyourheartout

Dear readers, 

Please don't ever get mad at me for being obsessed with almonds. I love almonds, and everything you can do with them, and I think it's important that people know they are not limited to just PLAIN boring things, like white walls or regular pancakes. Almonds were one of the first things to ever make me want to branch out, primarily because of their multi-uses. With that, I give you Almond Olive Oil Cake. 

Now, the first time I had an olive oil cake, I was like, "what is this, and WHY am I spending 9  dollars on it??" Well, LET ME TELL YOU WHY. Olive oil cakes tend to have three BIG effects on a cake: The first is the richness of the cake. You can make the MOST BORING cake you can think of and substitute olive oil for butter or vegetable oil; I guarantee it will taste first class. Secondly, the density of the cake is usually altered ever so slightly, especially if you use a substitute flour like almond meal or rice flour. I personally usually prefer denser cakes because I find them more filling and delightful. Lastly, olive oil cakes usually have a different texture that is not necessarily chewy, but definitely takes EFFORT to consume. An olive oil cake is something any person could live for, mostly because it's all about QUALITY, which is the one thing I look for in all food. As a plus, it's also healthier than a typical cake and can be easily transformed into gluten-free (we like that).

So, let's talk baking:

Almond Olive Oil Cake

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C almond flour or meal (same difference)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 large eggs

3/4 C granulated sugar

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 C orange juice 

Almond Butter Glaze:

2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 C confectioners sugar

3 tbsp milk

A few drops of lemon juice

1/2 C sliced almonds

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk them to break up the yolks. Add the sugar to the bowl and whisk it in thoroughly. Add the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is a bit lighter in color and has thickened slightly, about 45 to 60 seconds. Whisk in the extracts, followed by the orange juice. 

Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and whisk until they are thoroughly combined; continue whisking until you have a smooth, emulsified batter. Pour the batter into a 9x9 or 8x8 pan after greasing the pan. i added a few sliced almonds to the bottom of the pan for some extra almondy goodness. Feel free to do so as well. Bake the cake for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating the cake pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. 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. 

After removing the cake, set aside to let it cool. Start the glaze by melting 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 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. 

While the butter cools, sift the confectioners sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the milk until completely smooth but thick, and then slowly whisk the butter into the mixture. 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.