Yes, this is another olive oil cake, but it actually was the first I ever baked, and still remains a favorite of mine and many of our friends.
It boasts a surprising combination of flavors with the fresh rosemary, dark chocolate and olive oil all prominent, and it bakes to a perfect golden brown every time. And like most olive oil cakes, it’s wonderfully moist. It’s also the type of cake you could serve with afternoon tea or after dinner. It keeps well for 2 to 3 days, so it’s also a great choice for a picnic where you want to make something in advance that doesn’t need to be served warm. In fact, even though I love serving it warm after an evening meal, the flavors are more balanced when after the cake has cooled to room temperature.
Ingredients
1 cup whole-grain spelt flour
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp sea alt
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the pan
3/4 cup whole milk*
1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3.5 oz dark chocolate (65-70% cacao), chopped roughly into 1/4-1/2-inch pieces
*I haven’t tried making this dairy-free, but I think you could easily substitute coconut or almond milk for cow’s milk.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Rub a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with olive oil. Set aside.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Whisk in the olive oil, milk and rosemary until well blended. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined. Do not overmix! Fold in the chocolate pieces. Pour the batter into the tart pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top with the spatula.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the top is slightly domed and golden brown with darker edges, and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well 