Vanilla Olive Oil Cake

Whip up this delicious cake which actually improves the next day! It is moist and the lemon (or lime!) zest in the icing adds zing. Use any varietal of Arthur’s Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we’ve tried them all and can’t pick a favourite!

Photographs and recipe by Michelle Ranson of perthfoodphotography.com & @localgoodnesswa

Vanilla Olive Oil Cake

Prep time 20 min I Cooking time 30-40 min I Serves 8

Ingredients

150g plain flour, sifted

60g almond meal, sifted

½ flat tsp salt

1½ flat tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

170g sugar

125ml Arthur’s Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tsp vanilla essence

125ml whole milk

3 rounded tbsp natural yogurt

Icing

60g salted butter, room temperature

120g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 tbsp warm water

1 heaped tsp lemon zest

dehydrated lemon wheels, garnish

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius using the top and bottom element mode. Grease a 9-inch round baking tin. Cut a circle of baking paper to fit the base of the tin and place it in the tin. In a large bowl thoroughly combine flour, almond flour, salt and baking powder. In another large bowl whisk the eggs gently until just mixed together then whisk in sugar. Next add in olive oil and continue to whisk for about a minute until it thickens. Add 2 tsp of vanilla essence, milk and yoghurt then whisk together well. Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk into a smooth batter. Tip the batter into the tin and bake on the middle shelf for 30–40 minutes or until the cake is cooked inside and the sides of the cake come away easily from the tin. Remove the cake from the tin and paper. Cool cake on a cooling rack. In the meantime, make the icing by mixing butter, icing sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla essence and warm water together in a small bowl until it forms a paste. Add the water, spoonful by spoonful until the right consistency forms. If icing becomes too runny, add more icing sugar. Once the cake has fully cooled then spread the icing over the cake. Scatter with lemon zest and decorate with lemon wheels.