Olive Oil Cake and Simple Curd

This is a very simple cake that can be made for company. It's uniquely delicious and recipe worth keeping for years to come. I find the home cook rarely thinks of olive oil as an ingredient that can be transformed into a delicious pastry.


3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups granulated sugar
12 ounces extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces milk
2 ounces orange liqueur
2 ounces fresh orange juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces blanched almonds, finely chopped
Garnish: Powdered sugar


Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, liqueur, orange juice and lemon zest. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Whisk until well blended. Fold in the almonds.

Pour the mixture into the buttered cake pan. Bake for 1 hour. Place on a rack to cool completely. Run a knife around the edges to remove the cake and place it on a serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with the Curd.

Note: I served this with ice cream and poached pears. Get creative!