Pear, Almond, Chocolate and Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
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Easy but takes some time
This pear, almond, chocolate and rosemary olive oil cake is interesting and delicious! The combination of flavors make for a not-too-sweet, almost savory dessert. Inspired by a completely different cake recipe published in Bon Appetit, I was intrigued by combining chocolate, pears and rosemary in a cake. The bitter chocolate, sweet pears and aromatic rosemary seemed like a winner and the perfect combination to make a less sweet, more savory dessert. I add sliced almonds and turbinado sugar to give the cake topping more texture and crunch.
I served my first attempt to a half dozen friends and it was a hands down success, but I thought a few tweaks would make it even better. So on round two I added more chocolate and cinnamon and introduced ginger and nutmeg to the recipe. I now think this pear, almond, chocolate and olive oil cake is an absolute winner, suitable for fall and winter dinner parties.
Orange Scented Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Like my other olive oil cakes, (Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Espresso and Almonds, Orange-Scented Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, Cranberry Olive Oil Cake and Passion Fruit Olive Oil Cake) these are deeply moist, not-too-sweet cakes that can be made days in advance of serving.Click to download our free e-cookbook: 15 Recipes To Make You Look Like A Star
Use A Good Quality Olive Oil and Chocolate
While I think it is important to use a good quality olive oil all the time, it is particularly important with this pear, almond, chocolate and rosemary cake. You can use a good multi-purpose olive oil, like Stonehouse House Blend or Olio Santos for the batter, but take it up a notch and use a high quality EVOO like Stonehouse Olio Nuovo Taggiasca for drizzling over the top..
For chocolate, I like to use Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate. Bittersweet has more cacao and less sugar than semi-sweet chocolate, and this pear, almond, chocolate and rosemary cake is intended to be a sophisticated, savory dessert and not overly sweet.Note: SNFD is an Amazon associate and we may make a small commision when your purchase through our links.
Turbinado Sugar
Another secret to this pear, almond, chocolate and rosemary olive oil cake is turbinado sugar. I line a 9" springform pan with olive oil and parchment paper and then sprinkle turbinado sugar on the bottom. This creates a crunchy crust.
Then right before you bake it, you sprinkle the cake with 1/2 cup chopped pears, sliced almonds, rosemary and 2 T of turbinado sugar.
Look at that amazing cake topping!
My daughter Lauren graciously acquiesced to be my cake model on her last trip home. It was great having her in the kitchen with me again!
PrintPear, Chocolate, Almond and Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
This pear, almond, chocolate and rosemary olive oil cake is a sophisticated dessert for people who don’t like overly sweet desserts. Make it a day or two ahead of time and wrap well with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: New American
Ingredients
Scale
For the cake:
- 1 1/4 cups good olive oil, divided, plus some extra for oiling the pan
- 2 T raw or turbinado sugar
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 2 t baking powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t kosher salt
- 4 t cinnamon
- 1 t ground ginger
- 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 t vanilla
- Zest from 1 orange
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 pears, peeled and cored and chopped into 1/4 – 1/2” pieces, 1/2 cup reserved for topping
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped into 1/4 – 1/2” pieces
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup , peeled and chopped pear
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 T rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 T raw or turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup good olive oil (use the best you have)
For the garnish:
- Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a circle of parchment to fit the bottom of a 9″ springform pan. Wipe the bottom and sides of the pan with olive oil. Place the parchment on the bottom of the pan and wipe the parchment with a bit more olive oil. Sprinkle 2 T turbinado sugar in the bottom of the pan, shaking the pan to coat the bottom and sides with sugar. Set the pan aside.
- In a medium bowl mix the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together bourbon, orange juice and vanilla. Set aside.
- Put the orange zest, eggs, and sugar in a large mixing bowl, using a stand-up mixer if you have one. If not, a hand mixer will work, just be prepared to mix the ingredients for 10 minutes — until the mixture becomes pale and yellow.
- Fold in half the flour mixture and mix to combine. Add half the bourbon-OJ mixture and mix to combine. Repeat so everything is combined. Do not over mix.
- Using a measuring cup with a pour spout, slowly add 1 1/4 cups olive oil to the mixture, mixing as you pour.
- Fold in all but 1/2 cup of chopped pear and chopped chocolate. Stir to mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
For the topping:
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pear over the top of the cake, followed by sliced almonds and chopped rosemary. Finish by sprinkling 2 T of turbinado sugar on top of everything. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 350 degrees or 325 degrees if you are using a convection oven. Bake for about 60 minutes, checking after 50 minutes, until a bamboo skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for 15 minute. Using a chopstick, poke holes all over the top of cake. Slowly drizzle 1/4 cup of your best olive oil all over the top, allowing the cake to absorb the oil.
- Run an offset spatula or knife around the edge of the cake and release the springform pan. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. If not eating the same day, wrap in plastic wrap until you are ready to serve. Cake will get better the next day and will keep for several days wrapped in plastic.
For the garnish:
- Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain.
Notes
- I have made this cake with 4 ounces of chopped dark chocolate as well as 8 ounces of chopped dark chocolate. Both are good. Feel free to adjust up or down depending on how much chocolate you prefer.
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