Almond Olive Oil Cake for Valentine's Day Recipe | Seriously Italian (2024)

We are thrilled to welcome back Serious Eats Italian bureau chief and Babbo pastry chef, Gina DePalma. Not only is she one of the best pastry chefs on the planet but a gifted writer as well. These days she's back in New York City but needed to channel her inner Italian spirit through this almond cake, just in time for Valentine's Day. Take it away, Gina!

Valentine's Day is swiftly approaching, and as a pastry chef, I am starting to get that gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that comes from being surrounded by way too much chocolate.

Chocolate on Valentine's Day is too obvious a choice, for me, I guess, probably because my job makes chocolate a daily part of my life. Yes, it is glossy and silken and rich; I understand the intense attraction, but the stuff stains my damn chef jackets. The notion of a decadent chocolate creation as an over-the-top romantic gesture left me a few decades ago, quickly followed by the other absurdly predictable choice imposed on pastry chefs in February--the passion fruit. Ugh.

The Erotic Symbolism of Almonds, Ancient and Modern

From this chocolatey excess, the almond has emerged as my personal Valentine's Day icon, and I think it is quite the romantic choice. The flavor and scent of sweet almonds are understated and elegant, like the lady in pearls and a fabulous co*cktail dress I've always imagined I would be on an actual Valentine's date with someone who actually likes me.

Almond Olive Oil Cake for Valentine's Day Recipe | Seriously Italian (1)

In their natural state, almonds need to be coaxed out of their fuzzy, pale green pods, and if you ever get the chance to open an almond fresh off the tree, you'll find this process to be downright erotic. The almond's flavor profile teases, going from subtle and sweet when raw to deep, warm, and toasty when baked.

If that isn't enough to sway you, take a moment to consider the story of Phyllis and Demophoön, from Heroides, the collection of love poems by the Roman poet Ovid. Phyllis was the Queen of Thrace, madly in love with Demophoön, the son of Theseus and Phaedra and a soldier in the Trojan War. Demophoön leaves Phyllis to assist his father in Greece, promising to return in a month. When he doesn't show, Phyllis commits suicide in the throes of her despair, but the gods intervene and change her into an almond tree. When Demophoön finally returns, he finds the dormant and bare tree in the spot where he left Phyllis.

"Phyllis is brought back to life, and almonds become a symbol of true and everlasting love."

Realizing what happened, he throws himself around the tree in a passionate embrace, causing it to burst into brilliant, white almond blossoms. Phyllis is brought back to life, and almonds become a symbol of true and everlasting love. Top that, chocolate.

Almonds are still used to mark the deep love and fidelity of a new marriage in Italy, where a favor of candied, almonds, known as confetti, are a must at Italian weddings. Ovid's hometown of Sulmona in Abruzzo is still ground-zero for confetti production.

A Citrusy, Moist Almond Cake

My version of Torta di Mandorla is a light, moist way to say I love you, with the scent of sweet almonds, lively citrus, and the lovely back notes of extra-virgin olive oil. I love that it comes together with two bowls and a whisk; there is something supremely satisfying to me about making cakes without an electric mixer and a bit of elbow grease.

You can use either natural or blanched almond flour; I personally don't mind flecks of skin from natural almond flour in my cake. The cake is perfect on its own, but the brown butter glaze gives it even more polish and flavor. After the glaze has set, dust the entire cake with a bit of confectioner's sugar for a pretty touch of extra sweetness.

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Recipe Details

Almond Olive Oil Cake for Valentine's Day Recipe | Seriously Italian

Prep15 mins

Cook45 mins

Cool/Rest80 mins

Total2 hrs 20 mins

Serves8to 10 servings

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cupblanched or naturalalmond flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3 large eggs

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon purevanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon purealmond extract

  • Grated zest of 1 medium lemon or 1/4 a medium orange

  • 1/2 cup orange juice

For the Glaze:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 3 tablespoons whole milk

  • A few drops offresh lemon juice

  • 1/2 cupsliced, blanched almonds, toasted and cooled

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan and set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt to thoroughly combine them and set aside.

  3. Crack eggs into large mixing bowl and whisk them lightly to break up yolks. Add sugar to bowl and whisk it in thoroughly in both directions for about 30 seconds. Add olive oil and whisk until mixture is a bit lighter in color and has thickened slightly, about 45 seconds. Whisk in extracts and zest, followed by orange juice.

  4. Add dry ingredients to bowl and whisk until they are thoroughly combined; continue whisking until you have a smooth, emulsified batter, about 30 more seconds.

  5. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake cake for 30 to 45 minutes, rotating cake pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning. Cake is done when it has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan, springs back lightly when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

  6. Allow cake to cool for ten minutes in the pan, then gently remove it from pan and allow it to cool completely on a rack.

  7. While cake cools, make the glaze. Melt butter over medium heat in a small, heavy saucepan. When bubbles subside, lower heat and watch butter carefully, swirling it in the pan occasionally to distribute the heat. When butter begins to turn a light tan color and smells slightly nutty, turn off heat and let butter sit. It will continue to darken as it sits.

  8. While butter cools, sift confectioner's sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in milk until completely smooth but thick, then slowly whisk in butter. Taste the glaze and add a few drops of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Stir in toasted almonds. Spread almonds and glaze onto the top and sides of cake and let it sit until set and dry.

This Recipe Appears In

  • Seriously Italian: Where to Find Gianduja Outside Italy
  • Cakes
  • Italian
  • Baking
  • Almonds
Almond Olive Oil Cake for Valentine's Day Recipe | Seriously Italian (2024)

FAQs

How long does olive oil cake last? ›

Storage: The cake will keep for 4 days in an airtight container. Freezing: You can freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Substitutions: Use cake flour rather than all purpose flour for an extra fluffy cake.

What is the origin of the olive oil cake? ›

The history of using olive oil in cakes and baked goods is deeply rooted in the Mediterranean region, where olive trees have flourished for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks and Romans were among the first to recognize the value of olive oil in both culinary and medicinal applications.

What makes an olive oil cake different? ›

Why It Works. High-quality olive oil ensures a cake that is rich, flavorful, and moist. The thick texture of buttermilk provides structure to the batter for a cake that's tangy and light. The subtle aroma of lemon zest and orange flower water adds dimension to the cake and elevates the character of the olive oil.

Can you use extra virgin olive oil in olive oil cake? ›

Because this cake is so simple, it's important to use high-quality ingredients–typically, extra virgin olive oil is used for the stronger flavor. Here, Stella explains why using a high-quality olive oil is worth it in olive oil cake.

Why is my olive oil cake so dense? ›

Several things could contribute to a dense olive oil cake, including overmixing the batter, using too much flour, or not incorporating enough air into the batter during mixing.

Why did my olive oil cake collapse? ›

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

Which olive oil is best for cakes? ›

Extra virgin olive oil is a great substitute for butter or other fats when baking cakes. It gives cakes a wonderfully moist texture and a light, subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with other ingredients like fresh fruit and nuts.

Is olive oil good after 5 years? ›

The good news is that Olive Oils shelf life is much longer than the average product and some Olive Oils can last up to 18-24 months before becoming unappetising. However, Extra Virgin Olive Oil tends to last a shorter period, usually around 12-18 months.

Who brought olive oil to Italy? ›

Oil arrives in Italy

The first appearance of the olive tree in Italy dates back 3,500 years, but this product started becoming more widespread around the seventh century BC, thanks to the efforts of Phoenician and Carthaginian merchants and to the Greek settlers.

Why is olive oil Italian? ›

The history of olive oil in Italy

Italy has some of the oldest surviving olive trees in the world (some of them have been going strong for an estimated 3000-4000 years), but olive oil has been around for much longer than this, since at least 4,000 BC.

What is the English name for oil cake? ›

A press cake or oil cake is the solid matter remaining after pressing something to extract the liquids. Their most common use is in animal feed.

What can I use instead of olive oil in olive oil cake? ›

The 9 Best Olive Oil Substitutions
  1. Grapeseed Oil. Grapeseed oil isa neutral-tasting oil, so it won't add any noticeable flavor to your food. ...
  2. Canola Oil. Canola oil is another neutral oil made from crushed canola seeds. ...
  3. Sunflower Oil. ...
  4. Peanut Oil. ...
  5. Avocado Oil. ...
  6. Walnut Oil. ...
  7. Flaxseed Oil. ...
  8. Sesame Oil.

What happens if you bake a cake with olive oil instead of vegetable oil? ›

Olive oil leaves your cake sponge incredibly delicate, moist, and spongy and removes the chance of the sponge being heavy or dense. The swap from vegetable to olive oil is a very simple one and is one you should make, for both flavor and health reasons.

Can I substitute butter for olive oil in cake? ›

Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.)

What oil does Kylie use? ›

"Almond oil or olive oil or jojoba oil," she tells Kardashian of her preferred oils, admitting that, like so many of us, she used to mispronounce jojoba.

What makes a cake more moist oil or butter? ›

Vegetable oil contributes moistness far more reliably, a result of the fact that oil remains liquid at room temperature while butter solidifies. Liquid contributes to the sensation of moistness, and therefore cakes made with oil often present as moister than their butter-based counterparts.

What happens if you put olive oil in cake mix? ›

Extra virgin olive oil is a great substitute for butter or other fats when baking cakes. It gives cakes a wonderfully moist texture and a light, subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with other ingredients like fresh fruit and nuts. Plus, it's healthy and packed with antioxidants and healthy fats.

Is olive oil too strong for a cake? ›

Baking a cake with olive oil might seem like an estranged concept, but we highly recommend it. Olive oil leaves your cake sponge incredibly delicate, moist, and spongy and removes the chance of the sponge being heavy or dense.

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