I fondly refer to the busy nature of this time of year as trying to fit a size 24 woman into a size 2 dress for all the deliverables. Whether one is beholden to the frenzy of the end of a school year or the abrupt seasonal shift to summer, it always seems a bit madcap to me. Despite farm fresh produce starting to unveil itself for a new season I have been feeling that making gluten free frozen pizza nightly for dinner is even too difficult to find the time for of late.
This past weekend bore a reprieve from our almost 90 degrees temps with fog and rain. After living for years in Northern California I delight in the rare appearance of fog in Boulder. It completely transforms the landscape and always makes me feel I have a valid excuse to stay at home. Like a Pavlovian reaction to the charcoal skies, it always makes me want to bake.
I have had two large, thriving pots of herbs which have successfully overwintered indoors, one of which contains a gorgeous Pineapple Sage plant. It has been winking at me each time I pass it in the past two weeks. Noting its incredible growth spurt of late, showing new, limey colored slightly fuzzy leaves, I’ve been pondering a cocktail application but settled on folding it into an Olive Oil cake attempt. Pineapple sage does have a pineapple flavor and is lighter in flavor than traditional culinary sage. It can usually be found with culinary herbs either in the grocery store or where herb plants are sold. It’s very easy to grow in a pot or the garden.
I loved the idea of making the texture of the cake a bit more rustic and granular than a traditional cake. In my mind that meshed with the concept of an Olive Oil cake which I also envisioned not to be sweet like a traditional cake but rather taking some sweetness from the sugar and some from the almond flour and the addition of the honey flavored Greek yogurt.
PINEAPPLE-SAGE OLIVE OIL CAKE with PORT GLAZE
Ingredients
- 3 eggs room temperature
- ¾ granulated sugar
- ½ cup honey Greek yogurt
- 2/3 cup olive oil: 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon olive oil and the remainder extra virgin olive oil preferably not with a strong, overbearing flavor for a total of 2/3 cup
- 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free or regular flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ cup cornmeal fine-grind
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons Pineapple sage diced (regular sage may be substituted)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 3 tablespoons port wine
- ¼ cup roasted pepitas shelled pumpkin seeds, rough chopped*
- Suggested garnish: Seedless red grapes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch spring form pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer (or in a bowl with a handheld mixer) beat eggs until a bit frothy. Add sugar and beat until combined.
- Add yogurt to egg-sugar mixture; beat to fully combine. Slowly drizzle olive oil into egg-sugar mixture while beating on medium speed to allow oil to fully integrate to egg-sugar mixture.
- In a separate bowl stir to combine flour, almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. With mixer at medium speed, spoon flour mixture into the egg-sugar-oil mixture a large spoonful at a time, allowing it to combine before adding more flour.
- Once combined add diced sage and mix just to combine. Do not over mix.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minute (until lightly browned on top and toothpick comes out clean). Remove from oven and allow to cool before releasing the sides of the pan to cut and serve.
Making the Glaze
- Combine the confectioner’ sugar and port wine. Whisk to fully combine leaving no lumps of sugar.
- Lightly drizzle on cooled, room temperature cake. Suggested drizzle method: use a squeeze bottle with a cone top to more precisely drizzle the glaze over the cake slices.
- To serve: Sprinkle with chopped pepitas and serve with red grapes.
Laura Dembowski says
I’m sorry to say I’ve never baked with persimmons. This cake is beautiful and sounds like a great Thanksgiving dessert.
Baker Street says
Absolutely stunning pictures!! What a fabulous recipe! Thanks for sharing.
fat pig in the market says
Okay…now I have to plant some pineapple sage. You got me intrigued. I also dig the port wine glaze and pepitas.
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour says
Ohhh this cake looks so moist and delicious! (I sound like a Betty Crocker ad!) I'm going to try an olive cake soon too after seeing yours. I know in Provence, many home cooks make use of the bountiful olive oil and often have it in there cakes. I also adore a cake like yours with a drizzle of sweetness and not lots of rich icing.
Boulder Locavore says
I felt the same about Olive Oil cake; after seeing enough of them I was ready to conjure up a recipe for one myself. Glad to see you will take the baton from here! Clearly if they are doing it in Provence it's not a weird fad and after tasting this I was really pleasantly surprised. I think I expected an oily texture and heavy EVOO flavor. Not so.