Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake is a recipe I brought home from a Central Market olive oil tasting class. The cake is actually an olive oil sponge cake, but it's made as an upside down cake with nectarines and plums on the bottom and mixed berries on top. Since that evening I've made this cake dozens of times using different kinds of fruit. This is a photo of the latest one. I didn't have any fresh fruit, so I used thawed frozen mixed berries and a few peaches.
How to Make Olive Oil Sponge Cake
I've finally put this recipe in card from. Here's a quick rundown on how to make it.
- Start by greasing a 9-inch springform with olive oil and dusting with granulated sugar. Sponge Cakes actually rise higher in ungreased pans, but this recipe has you grease it anyway because of the cooked fruit.
- Lay fruit on the bottom of the pan.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (including part of the sugar) and sift them.
- Whisk the wet ingredients (minus the egg whites) in another bowl, then mix dry ingredients with wet.
- Whip the egg whites with remaining sugar and fold them into the batter.
- Adding extra berries to the batter is optional.
- Bake the cake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until it springs back. The time may vary if you alter the size of the pan. I recommend setting the springform on a rimmed pan to catch drips from the fruit.
- Let cool for 15 minutes with the ring on. Remove the springform ring and let cool for 5 more, then carefully invert onto a rack to finish cooling.
- Dust with powdered sugar if you'd like (it will sink into the fruit pretty quickly) and serve with freshly whipped cream.
Making Adjustments
This cake recipe is very flexible and works with or without the fruit. However, if you make adjustments keep a few things in mind. Changing the pan size and/or depth will change the bake time. If you decide not to use the fruit and want a plain sponge, leave the springform pan ungreased so the batter sticks to the sides and rises upward. If using a non-springform pan, line the inside with foil and leave it ungreased. Once cool, you can peel away the foil.
Recipe
Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- Olive oil & granulated sugar for pan
- 5-6 large plums or 2-4 nectarines whatever is in season
- 1 ¼ cups cake flour (145 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (100 grams and 50 grams)
- ½ cup buttermilk (120 grams)
- ¼ cup olive oil (50 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, separated
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ to cup blueberries or raspberries (optional)
- 1 teaspoon flour (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with olive oil and dust with granulated sugar.
- Lay sliced plums or nectarines neatly, in whatever pattern you choose, over bottom of pan.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and ½ cup (100 grams) of the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl and stir well. I recommend sifting as well.
- Whisk the buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla and egg yolks together in a second bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well.
- With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, slowly adding the reserved ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar to the whites as you beat. Fold the cake batter into the egg whites until well blended. Pour the batter into the sugared pan covering the plums/nectarines. Spread as evenly as possible without deflating the batter. It should be slightly bubbly.
- If using extra berries, toss berries with flour and scatter over the batter.
- Bake 30-35 minutes** or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes and remove the ring from the springform pan. Cool another 5 minutes. Turn over on rack and slowly remove base. Cool and serve with whipped cream.
Janet says
I am looking forward to seeing how this cake looks. I, like others, have not tried using olive oil in baking. I did have a Doctor tell me to use it for my dry skin (on my hands( I couldn't stand the strong smell and the oil stains on everything;-) I'd love to try your cake recipe though. What did your family think of it? Thanks!
Elyse says
What an interesting sounding cake! I love the idea of olive oil in a sweet cake. I would love to take an olive oil tasting class. Sounds so fun. This cake sounds like a perfect start to the weekend!
Anna says
With the exception of recipes such as this, I use the Greek olive oil exclusively. This is my favorite. It's made with Kalamata olives.
http://www.oliveoilwarehouse.com/iliada-kalamata-extra-virgin-olive-oil1.html
KAnn says
Oh, I just discovered that I prefer Greek olive oil, too! I am least fond of Spanish...I was a bit embarrassed to admit that I wasn't all that fond of olive oil until I participated in a blind taste testing at Whole Foods-definitely did not care for the Spanish and was just so-so with the Italian. I did purchase Olove Oil Baking last year but haven't used it yet. Your cake looks fabulous and sounds delicious.
DessertObsessed says
oooh love olive oil cakes! and i've had a super lazy week too, but i'm not even making a delicious cake to make up for it 🙁
Carrie says
How funny, I tried some Olive Oil at Central Market today. There were a few ladies trying it and as I saw their reactions to certain oils I thought, ok, I gotta try some. I tried the greek oil and it had a distinctively differnt flavor. Cake sounds yummy.
Rebecca says
Anna,
Have you ever thought about submitting your blog to Amazon for publication to their kindle device? I just got a kindle, which I love, and it has a large number of blogs available on it but none that I already follow. Since I look at yours most days, I'd love to get it that way.
Anna says
Thanks Jane! And you were a fine teacher, indeed ;).
Was this Paul's original recipe or did he get it from another source? If it's his, I'll put a credit.
Pearl says
i have never heard of olive oil upside down fruit cake! sounds so cool!
T. Martin says
Thanks for this one Anna. I recently have been trying some Olive Oil Cake recipes and though none have been disasters I have yet to find one to which I would give a gold start. I'll have to add this one to my list of recipes to try.
Louise says
I did an olive oil sampling at the Fancy Food Show a couple of years ago. And we've visited several producers in Portugal, Southern France and Italy. Very interesting to try oils side-by-side. Made the mistake, a long time ago, of trying an olive straight off the tree. Whew!! I know why olives are "cured".
Carol A, says
You know what this cake makes me think of? Italy.
🙂
VeggieGirl says
TGIF, for sure!! Love that cake.