Olive oil cake is a traditional Italian dessert that beautifully showcases the fruity characteristics of olive oil, which lends moisture and richness. Combined with pears and thyme, this dessert looks and feels sophisticated while retaining its old-world, rustic charm.
Tip: Replace pears with apples, plums, apricots, or peaches as the seasons change.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) brown rice flour
1 cup (250 mL) almond flour (almond meal)
1/3 cup (80 mL) cane sugar or coconut sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
2 large organic eggs
3/4 cup (180 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk
2 pears, cored and thinly sliced, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease 9 in (23 cm) cake pan or springform pan with a little oil, add parchment paper circle to bottom, and grease parchment.
In medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, thyme, baking powder, and salt.
In large bowl, beat eggs with oil and almond milk. Stir flour mixture into egg mixture. Fold in half of the pear slices. Pour into pan, smoothing out top. Arrange remaining pear slices in circle on top.
Bake for 1 hour, until toothpick inserted in centre comes out with just a few damp crumbs. Cool for 30 minutes before running knife around edge, flipping cake onto plate, and then flipping onto another plate so pear slices are face up. Cool completely before slicing with serrated knife. Store leftovers tightly covered in refrigerator.
Each serving contains: 379 calories; 5 g protein; 25 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 36 g total carbohydrates (9 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 219 mg sodium
