Aussie Olive Cake

I've had this recipe lurking in my files for quite some time, needing to be baked.  And now I have.  Not sure where it came from; perhaps an old Delicious magazine? Anyway, they call it Provençal Olive Cake, but hey, we're not in Provence, and I used good old Aussie olive oil and olives and wine!  It's just a big old muffin mixture really, slapped into one big loaf tin.

Such a shame my olive tree didn't provide me with any olives this year.  After lots of Spring rain, the tree was covered in blossom and I had high hopes for the harvest.  But the weather Gods had other plans, and a hail storm in December either knocked down or bruised my precious fruit.  I checked the remaining ones on the tree a few weeks ago, but sadly they were all pitted and bruised and no good for pickling.  Next year maybe...

full of the tangy taste of olives!

Makes 1 large loaf


ingredients:


300g. plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs, lightly beaten

140 mLs olive oil

160 mLs white wine

2 tbs black olive tapenade

200g. Gruyère, grated

40g. small black olives, pitted and chopped

50g. leg ham. chopped

ground black pepper to taste - I used about 10 turns of the mill

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)



Method:


Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl

Make a well in the middle; add the eggs, olive oil and wine

Stir in gently with a wooden spoon till just combined - it doesn't matter if you can see a bit of flour here and there

Fold in all the other ingredients - gently!  Don't overmix

Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased loaf tin, lined with baking paper on the bottom

Bake at 180C for an hour or till a cake skewer comes out clean from the middle 

Let it rest in the tin for 5 minutes then flip it out onto a wire rack

Serve warm or at room temp; great the next day slathered in butter



Notes:


Be adventurous here:  try green olive tapenade and green olives

I didn't have Gruyère so I used 100g. of Jarlsberg and 100g. of extra sharp Vintage

Buy a good quality tapenade or make your own; I made some for this loaf.  Recipe coming up next week on the blog

ingredients gathered  

eggs olive oil and wine go into the flour 

gently fold in the other ingredients  

spoon into a greased and lined loaf tin   

looking very edible after an hour in the oven @ 180C   

cool on a wire rack

cheesy and tangy and lots of olive flavour 

my olive branch doodle