This zesty, gluten-free almond cake combines lemon, white chocolate, and silky olive oil for a Mediterranean delight. Perfect with berries, mascarpone, or ice cream, and a chilled San Pellegrino Limonata. Italian bliss in every bite!
Ingredients
Ingredients
120 ml of Monini Delicato Extra Virgin Olive Oil
180 g white chocolate chopped
5 eggs, separated
180 g caster sugar
small pinch of salt
juice and finely grated zest of 4 lemons
1 tsp vanilla essence or paste
300 g almond meal
To Serve
Berries, mascarpone or ice cream and pure icing sugar, to dust
1x can San Pellegrino Limonata
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C, static. Spray a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with oil. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.
Place oil and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Stir with a metal spoon until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
Use an electric beater to beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, vanilla and almond meal and stir. Add in the cooled chocolate mixture and stir.
Use a clean electric beater to beat egg whites with a small pinch of salt in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form.
Use an electric beater to beat egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.
Add lemon rind, lemon juice, vanilla and almond meal and stir. Add in the cooled chocolate mixture and stir.
Gently fold half of the egg white into the cake batter until just combined. Fold in the remaining egg white until mixed.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 160°C. Bake for a further 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve as it is or dusted with icing sugar and with dollops of ice cream, mascarpone or whipped cream and berries and ice cold Limonata