This little olive oil cake was tucked way back in the archives. I decided to give it a new photo and bring it front and center once again, as it is one of my forgotten favorites. It’s from Kim Boyce’s wonderful cookbook Good To The Grain. Throughout the book, Ms. Boyce focuses on incorporating a variety of underused flours in her recipes, not so much for added health (although that’s a nice benefit), but for flavor. Her recipes are spot on – they have been tested and fine tuned, and she has created some unique goodness.
A few things: My blog had a nice feature on Food 52 recently, if you want to check it out.
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I recently made Sheet Pan Pizza over at Bread in 5 – my family won’t stop requesting it. It’s adapted from Ken Forkish’s new book The Elements of Pizza (which I highly recommend).
Olive Oil Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate and Rosemary
From Good To The Grain, by Kim Boyce
Olive oil for the pan
3/4 cup (98g) spelt flour
1 1/2 cups (213g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (149g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons (1g) fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 ounces (142g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Preheat the oven to 350F. Rub a 10-inch fluted tart pan with olive oil.
In a large bow, whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk, and rosemary and whisk again until combined. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top.
Bake for 32-40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.
33 Comments
Stephanie
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 at 7:55 pmHi! This is one of my favorite go-to recipes of all times. And I recommend it to everyone! I want to try it as muffins- have you ever done this before?
I’m worried they may turn out too dense- or too greasy especially for muffin tin liner paper.
Thank you!
Raushan Gupta
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 12:18 amHi, I am a baker from India and I would say this cake looks very yummy. I love baking cakes that’s why I explore too many websites for better recipes and found your website here. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Soon I will let you know about experience with your recipe.
daria
Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 2:36 amhey this sounds amazing! do you think it would be possible and work well if I’d change the milk to rice or almond milk?
(I know it sounds harsh 🙂 but milk and I aren’t best friends) thanks!
B
Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 3:20 pmI wasn’t able to find spelt flour so I just used AP. How dense is the cake supposed to be? Has anyone tried cake four?
Erin
Monday, June 20, 2016 at 5:52 pmAny adjustments needed if I use gluten-free flour?
Sarah
Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 4:37 pmHi Erin- sorry for the late reply! I haven’t tried it with gluten free flour so I can’t give you a concrete answer, but I think your basic go-to gluten free mix should work okay here. Let me know if you try it!
Linda Impastato
Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at 11:30 amFirst of all I wanted to thank you for such a wonderful place to come to at the end of a stressful day. Your blog is both uplifting and provocative. The recipes make me want to get into the kitchen and start measuring and mixing, always.
I’m an American and I live in the north of Italy so the spelt flour, the olive oil and the rosemary are ingredients I use often, but I thought the bitter chocolate was a brilliant addition. There was a great silence in the room while my Italian friends ate the cake. I noted that some of them even had their eyes closed. Brava!
Abby | Lace & Lilacs
Friday, May 27, 2016 at 4:55 pmSuch a gorgeous cake, Sarah. I’ve made this recipe from your archives at least twice in the past, and it is always lovely. <3 xx
Gemma
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 5:05 pmWhat a beautiful cake! I love that kinda rustic look, it screams homemade, which is something I always adore!
🙂
xo
Ellie | Hungry by Nature
Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 11:20 amI will be making this for my dinner club next week – I love olive oil in cake!! and chocolate. and rosemary 🙂
Medeja
Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 5:58 amThis cake looks great and sounds really interesting!
Kari
Monday, May 16, 2016 at 5:19 pmIs this a sweet cake, like for dessert or is it a little more savory?
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Allyson
Monday, May 16, 2016 at 12:45 pmI have and love Good to the Grain, but have yet to make this cake. Thanks for the push to finally do it.
Rachel @the dessert chronicles
Monday, May 16, 2016 at 12:34 pmThis is such a beautiful, yet simple cake. Perfect for a brunch or afternoon get together!
Emma R
Monday, May 16, 2016 at 9:36 amThis looks lovely, but I’m a bit wary of trying to bake with rosemary. What’s it like in a sweet cake?
Sarah
Monday, May 16, 2016 at 10:02 amHi Emma- I love using herbs in my baked goods; they add a unique flavor, and work well with sugar (I make rosemary buttercream, ice cream, and cake). If you are a big fan of rosemary in general, I think you would like it. But, you can always omit the rosemary and just add the chocolate! It will still taste delicious.
Brynne
Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 9:34 pmI made this just today ’cause I wanted to bake something sweet and so very glad I did. The flavors are genius as you say. It wasn’t just a cake, it was a mood, or — oh I don’t know — something really, really just what was needed.
Rachelle Harris
Wednesday, August 6, 2014 at 4:19 pmMaking this today, but making six 4″ cakes (making a stacked cake) and will update you. Did not find spelt, so just using the same amount of all purpose flour. I hope it turns our delicious
Rachelle Harris
Friday, August 1, 2014 at 5:44 pmHi, this looks and sounds amazing. Would you know if I could put it a regular cake pan? I’m assuming I’ll need to line it up with parchment paper to come out clean? What would you suggest? Thanks in advance
Sarah
Sunday, August 3, 2014 at 5:35 pmHi Rachelle – I have never tried it in a cake pan, but I think that it should work. And yes, I would suggest lining the bottom with parchment, and making sure the sides are very well greased with butter or a pan-spray. Let me know how it works for you!
Aimee
Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 3:18 pmI’m going to make this for my book club next week! It sounds like the perfect recipe.
Paul
Friday, April 11, 2014 at 4:47 pmDid you use a standard tart pan with a removable bottom to make the cake?
Sarah
Friday, April 11, 2014 at 9:04 pmHi Paul, I used a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
Paul
Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 4:49 amThanks. I wondered about leakage using a tart pan for a cake batter, but I will give it a try.
Sarah
Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 8:34 amYou could always set the pan on a sheet pan if you are nervous about it. I didn’t have any trouble with it, but I will add a note to the directions just to be safe. 🙂
Paul
Sunday, April 13, 2014 at 11:32 amThanks, I just saw your note. I had already decided to set the tart pan on a sheet pan and was glad I did because some of the olive oil did leak out (none of the cake batter). Happy I used the tart pan though instead of substituting a cake pan because the fluted edge looks great and may have helped with some extra crispiness there. Cake has a very interesting flavor profile, my wife loved it.
eme
Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 11:34 amthis was really different, and exactly what I wanted. i made a half batch and used a combination of whole wheat pastry flour and quinoa flour. delicious.
Mary Jo
Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 4:32 amCan you share why we need to use spelt flour? What will happen without it? What does it do for baking?
vanilla bean blog
Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 7:33 pmHi Mary! The spelt flour just adds a dimension of flavor – it has a slightly ‘nutty’ taste. I am pretty confident you could swap it out for all purpose flour, if you didn’t want to buy a specialty flour. -Sarah
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