Pear-Almond Olive Oil Cake Recipe

Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup Ultra-Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil of choice
• ⅔ cup blanched almond flour
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon tightly packed lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large Anjou pear
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour, line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs at high speed until uniform in color and foamy, about 1 minute. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat until thick and pale, about 2 minutes. Mix on low speed, gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream, beating until combined, scrape sides of bowl. Add almond flour, milk, lemon zest, and extracts, and beat at medium speed until combined.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold all-purpose flour mixture into egg mixture just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Cut pear in half. Core each half and cut off the top part of pear and stem. Cut pear halves into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Divide slices into groups of 4 to 5. Fan slices, and gently place on top of cake batter. (See Note.) Gently brush lemon juice onto pear slices. Sprinkle almonds around edge of batter and between groups of fanned pears.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Serve warm or let cool completely on base of pan on a wire rack.

Before serving, cut a 7-inch circle from parchment paper, place in center of cake. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift confectioners’ sugar onto edges of cake, if desired.