Olive Oil Raspberry Cake

Olive Oil Raspberry Cake because things don’t have to be complicated.  This is a basic recipe and everything comes together quickly.  Growing up, we never used butter in baking.  Oil was the the ingredient that kept our pastry moist.  Olive oil give pastry a certain unique flavour.  In baking I use extra virgin olive oil because it retains its nutrients.  The olive oil enhances any spices used in baking and gives that fruity taste. Tonight we served the cake with a vanilla custard.

This quarantined life makes us crave sweet things, perhaps because they bring comfort to us and remind us of happier times.  I love raspberries and this Italian cake brings me back to the happiest time of my life with my nonna Emilia in the kitchen.  Especially these days, my nonna is all around me.  She tells me stay strong. live, laugh and love.

I am also grateful for my other nonna.  Marietta was a Sicilian with a big heart and strong will.  You didn’t want to cross her.  She endured many hardships in her life; and so, I added some Sicilian twists to this recipe. The citrus and nutmeg remind me of her kitchen.  It’s a simple cake and I hope you enjoy it.

Both these women lived through world wars, depressions, shortage of food, and times with very little money. In the words of my mom and dad, ” we never knew we were poor because we had everything we needed.”  However, both these women are the cornerstone of the way I live my life.  Two women bring us together at the table to share in the gratitude they instilled in us.  No matter how hard life is, enjoy the small pleasures because they are the best memories.

An interesting read and another citrus olive oil cake https://www.saveur.com/carapelli-olive-oil-baking/

Another easy cake from nonna https://recipesatmytable.com/nonnas-easy-apricot-custard-cake/

Ingredients

• 4 eggs (separated)
• 3/4 cups sugar
• the zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon and 1/2 an orange
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2tbsp milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 of a tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1tsp oil for brushing top of cake
• 1 tsp coconut sugar for top of cake

Process

I preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a round cake pan.  Rub it with some olive oil and use some parchment paper on the bottom.

Next I separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar until thick and ribbony.

Add the olive oil,milk, nutmeg, almond extract, lemon /orange zest and juice. Beat this.

Now sift the flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients and gently mix.

Fold in the egg whites.

Pour into prepared pan. I use 3/4 of the raspberries on the cake now.  Most will sink to the bottom.  Put it into the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven after 20 minutes and place the remainder of the raspberries on top. I do this so that I have several layers of raspberries in the cake.  Return to the oven for another 15 – 20 minutes.

You know I love to peek into the oven. LOL

Remove from oven and brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle with coconut sugar.

It is such a beautiful cake.

We served it with custard tonight.