Peach Olive Oil Cake
Photography by Courtesy of Elise Polentes.
Here’s a recipe shared with us by Elise Polentes of Sundial Pantry, a new, local, farmers’ market vendor offering seasonal salads and baked goods. Polentes says “Peach olive oil cake is one of my favorite things I make and one of my consistent best sellers at the market.”
Measurements for the recipe were originally provided in grams, which Polentes recommends following for best results, but we’ve also weighed out the conversions for you to try if you don’t have a scale.
Make this cake to make the most of the final weeks of stone fruit season and serve it with a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients
Serves 8
- Olive oil
- Granulated or turbinado sugar
- 3–5 peaches, halved and pitted
- 300 grams white wheat flour (about 2 ¼ cups)
- 150 grams semolina flour (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 3 grams baking powder (about ¾ teaspoon)
- 3 grams baking soda (about ¾ teaspoon)
- 3 grams salt (about ¾ teaspoon)
- 110 grams eggs (about 2 eggs)
- 380 grams granulated sugar (about 1 ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons)
- 15 grams lemon zest (about 3 tablespoons)
- 240 grams whole milk (about 1 cup)
- 220 grams olive oil (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°.
- Coat the inside of a 9-inch cake pan with olive oil, a layer of parchment paper, more olive oil, and sugar. This is similar to buttering and flouring your cake pan but with olive oil and sugar. You can use either regular granulated sugar or turbinado sugar, like sugar in the raw.
- Put whole halved peaches (golden peaches are highly recommended) skin side down in the oiled and sugared pan. Don't be afraid to wedge them in there! Fill up the bottom of the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, begin to prepare the batter by whisking white wheat flour, semolina flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a whisk and mix in sugar, lemon zest, milk, and olive oil until well combined.
- Fold the wet and dry ingredients together and pour the batter over the peaches. Bake until there is absolutely no jiggle in the center of the cake pan, the top is crispy and golden brown, and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. It is very hard to over-bake this cake, due to the high olive oil content. Check the cake after 1 hour but expect it to take about 90 minutes.
- Cool completely before slicing and serving.
Elise Polentes
Elise Polentes of Sundial Pantry, a local, farmers’ market vendor that offers seasonal salads and baked goods. Follow her work on Instagram at @sundialphilly.
