Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake
This recipe is adapted from a Central Market cooking school olive oil class. The store made it with nectarines and plums, but other fruits such as peaches and berries work. Or skip the "upside down" part and just use the sponge cake recipe.
Servings 8 slices
Cost 5
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.
Notes
**The cake may take more or less time depending on fruit. Check it at 30 minutes and continue cooking until it seems golden brown and a wooden pick inserted comes out clean.