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Pear, Chocolate, Almond and Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

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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.

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: 

  1. 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.
  2. In a medium bowl mix the cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together bourbon, orange juice and vanilla. Set aside.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Using a measuring cup with a pour spout, slowly add 1 1/4 cups olive oil to the mixture, mixing as you pour.
  7. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:

  1. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or plain.

Notes

  1. 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.

Find it online: https://somethingnewfordinner.com/recipe/pear-almond-chocolate-and-rosemary-olive-oil-cake/

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