It’s hard to believe that it’s almost August. The summer always flies by so quickly, and I feel like I’ve had hardly any time at all. I’m starting to get a little stressed out because I’m still behind schedule with my recipes, but I have a busy and productive week ahead of me where I can hopefully make some progress.
I have been baking every day, as I usually do in the summer, and many days I test or film multiple things. However, many of my recipes have been more challenging to perfect and have taken longer to appropriately test. Although this has put me behind schedule and has me a little stressed, I can’t be too mad about it because I have some pretty fun recipes headed your way.
For August, most of my recipes are still summery, but starting to hint at fall. August is probably one of the hottest and most summery months of the year, but with school starting I think most people start to shift to the fall mindset. So in order to keep up with what makes sense and what people want, I’ve tried to make my August recipes a bit of a mix. I have a few that I’m really excited about coming soon so stay tuned!
What is an Olive Oil Cake?
An olive oil cake is exactly what it sounds like, a cake where the butter is replaced with olive oil. This gives the cake a soft crumb with a slightly dense, but not heavy, texture. The cake does not taste like olives, the oil really just gives it a light citrus or floral taste.
Describe This Cake to Me
Taste: This cake has a light citrus taste from the olive oil, which compliments the sweet dates and sharp chocolate. The orange cream on top ties in some of the lighter citrus notes, and adds a little levity and sweetness from the vanilla.
Texture: The cake has a slightly denser texture, but doesn’t feel heavy or claggy. It has a soft and delicate crumb, as well as a little crunch from the sugar on top. The light cream on top helps tie everything together and add a little more moisture.
Ease: This is a very simple cake to make because it doesn’t require any layering or frosting. It’s a pretty standard batter in terms of the process and the cream on top is very simple and comes together with just a few ingredients.
The Batter
Other than the fact that the usual butter has been replaced with olive oil in this cake, the batter is very familiar and similar to a regular cake. The eggs help give it structure, the milk helps keep the cake moist, the baking powder and soda keep it fluffy, and the vanilla bean paste ensures the cake is bursting with flavor. When we bake this cake, we use cake strips. This stops the sides from browning too quickly (a common characteristic of olive oil cake) and gives the cake a more even bake.
The Orange Cream
This orange cream is the perfect topping for this cake because it compliments the olive oil perfectly. It comes together by whipping sugar, orange zest, heavy cream, creme fraiche, and vanilla bean paste together. It’s simple, but gives the cake a little levity to cut through the stronger flavors in the cake.
Chocolate Date Olive Oil Cake with Orange Cream
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease a 9 inch spring form baking pan with butter, line the bottom with a parchment paper round, and then grease the parchment paper. Line the outside of the pan with a water moistened cake strip. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using either a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix together 1 cup of granulated sugar and the eggs on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Next, slowly stream in the olive oil while still mixing on high speed. Once combined, add the vanilla bean paste and stream in the milk with the mixer running on medium speed. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix on low speed until just combined. Once combined, fold in the chopped chocolate and dates with a large rubber spatula.
- Spread the batter evenly in the previously prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the top with 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before serving.
- Right before you are ready to serve, make the orange cream. In a large mixing bowl using either a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the sugar and orange zest. Using your fingers, smush the two together. This helps release oils in the orange zest and gives the cream more flavor. Add the crème fraîche, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream. On medium high speed, whip the mixture to stiff peaks.
- Serve a slice of the cake with a generous scoop of the orange cream. The cream stays fresh sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cake stays fresh sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.