Pear and Almond Olive Oil Cake
One 9” Springform Cake
1 large Anjou or Bosc pear
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup of your best olive oil
2/3 cup almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/3 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp orange (2 clementines) zest (and juice)
1 tsp vanilla paste
½ tsp almond extract
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup almond slices
Confectioner’s sugar to garnish
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9” springform pan with cooking spray, line with parchment, and spray again.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and grated nutmeg.
3) In a standing mixer, whisk the eggs together on high until uniform in color and foamy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer to medium and add the sugar in a slow stream. Increase the speed and beat until thick and pale. Reduce the speed again and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the almond flour, milk, orange zest and extracts, beating at medium speed until evenly combined.
4) Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the dry mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
5) Cut the pear in half, core each half and cut off the base and stem. Slice the pear halves into 1/8” slices. Fan the slices, 4 or 5 slices in a group, and place on top of the batter. Squeeze orange juice over the fanned slices. Sprinkle the almond slices over any exposed batter.
6) Bake for 45-50 minutes until the wooden skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before removing the side of the springform.
7) Before serving, lightly dust the top of the cake with confectioner’s sugar.
