Lemon and Almond Cake with Olive Oil

Lemon and Almond Cake with Olive Oil
Serves 8-10

Butter (to butter pan)
3/4 cup cake flour (also works well with Cup 4 Cup)
1 cup almond flour or meal
Zest of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar for the top of the cake (optional)
2 tablespoons sliced almonds for the top of the cake (optional)
Serve with:
Lemon Whipped Cream or Strawberry sauce (see recipe)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 9-inch (light color metal) cake pan with parchment paper and lightly butter sides. Sift the cake flour twice.
2. In a medium bowl add the flour, almond flour, lemon zest, baking powder and salt; mix with a whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add the sugar and increase the speed to high speed until the egg mixture triples in volume and when the whisk is lifted out of the batter it rests for a second on top of the batter before falling back in, about 2-3 minutes.
4. To the egg mixture, add the flour mixture in three batches alternating with the olive oil. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with Demerara sugar and sliced almonds.
5. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until tester comes out with just moist crumbs clinging to it. Turn out onto a cake rack and cool.
6. To serve cake, cut into wedges and serve with a dollop of the cream or some strawberry sauce.

Lemon Whipped Cream
Makes 2 cups

1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoon powdered sugar
the zest of one lemon

1. Beat the cream, lemon zest and powdered sugar with a whisk or electric mixer just until it forms soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. Whisk again just before serving.

Strawberry Sauce
Makes 3/4 cup

1 pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried and destemmed
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons Cointreau or other fruit liqueur
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed

1. Slice the strawberries 1/8” thin around the equator to make round discs.

2. Combine the strawberries, powdered sugar, Cointreau and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Adapted from The Dessert University by Roland Mesnier