FRESH FIG CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE

Serving size: 8

I love a good olive oil cake because it's almost a cross between cornbread and cake. A well made one is usually moist, super rich, and subtly sweet. This recipe is made with orange juice to give it that fresh, bright taste and to ensure we get a perfectly moist cake.

Because this is made with a generous portion of olive oil, it's full of vitamins, healthy fats, and polyphenols. Olive oil is particularly rich in oleic acid, a fatty acid that improves inflammatory markers and reduces oxidative stress. Not to worry, we'll be baking the cake at a low enough temperature for all of these benefits to remain in tact.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3/4 cup maple syrup

• 3/4 cup orange juice

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

• handful fresh figs

I used a variety of fresh figs (black mission, tiger, and heirloom) to create a more interesting design.

It's always important to be mindful of heating oils to an appropriate level because they will not only lose their nutritive value once passed their smoke point, but also produce harmful free radicals passed that point as well. Olive oil's smoke point is between 375-405 degrees which is why we are strategically baking the cake at 350 degrees.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add all of the wet ingredients and stir thoroughly.

Grease an 8 inch cake pan with olive oil and pour the batter into the pan. Slice your figs and arrange on top of the cake in your desired pattern.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely then dust with powdered sugar.

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Olive oil cake is the ideal combination of savory and sweet when it comes to baked goods and I love that this creates another avenue to utilize olive oil besides a typical pasta dish or salad. Its sweet application is incredibly satisfying and even more satisfying knowing that olive oil contains nutrients that fight inflammation.