This cake is packed with flavor from the olive oil, cornmeal, almonds and lemon. And it’s gluten free!
Cake recipes made from olive oil are especially hard to come by. If your local store does not carry fine cornmeal, I have purchased medium and ground it myself. Be sure to use cornmeal, not corn flour. Cornmeal has a different texture and flavor profile. I hope you enjoy serving it to your family and guests as much as I do.
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cake pan
1/2 cup milk
Finely grated zest and juice from 1 lemon
1-1/2 cups raw almonds, finely chopped
1 cup natural cane sugar
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal (purchase medium and grind yourself if unable to find fine)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
Preheat oven to 325F. Oil a 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, combine milk and lemon juice: let stand until thickened, about 5 mintues.
In a food processor, pulse almonds, cane sugar, and zest until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, eggs, and almond extract to milk mixture, and whisk until combined. Stir into cornmeal mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden and a tester inserted comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Unmold and dust with confectioners sugar and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche just before serving.
