Olive Oil Cake with Basil, Hazelnut and Orange
1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients:
3 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup of your best olive oil (plus 3 Tbsp more for a final brushing)
½ cup buttermilk
½ tsp vanilla paste
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup (4 Tbsp) hazelnut flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
Zest of 1 large ripe orange
12 leaves fresh basil cut into thin julienne strips – go ahead and use the hydroponic basil you can find in the market’s now and then plan to plant your own in just a matter of weeks!
Confectionary sugar to dust the top of the finished cake
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the interior of an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom and halfway up the sides with a round piece of parchment paper. Butter the paper and then dust the entire interior of the pan with a bit of all-purpose flour.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3) In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar at a high speed for one minute. Remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle. Add the oil in a slow steady stream with the mixer on medium, beating until combined. Add the buttermilk, beating until combined. Reduce the mixer to low and add the vanilla paste, the citrus zest and the julienne strips of basil.
4) While on low, gradually add the dry mix until no lumps remain and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5) Bake roughly 30 minutes, until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then turn out the cake keeping the parchment in place. Brush the top of the cake lightly with 3 Tbsp of the same olive oil you used in the batter. Let the cake cool completely, remove the parchment paper and dust the top of the cake with confectionary sugar before serving.
6) I suggest serving with vanilla bean gelato or orange sorbet.
