Olive Oil Rosemary Apricot Cake

For the non-sweet tooths out there, this one’s for you. This savoury combination of olive oil, rosemary and lemon in a cake is just sensational and so wonderfully Mediterranean. If you are desperate to make this outside of apricot season, apricot halves tinned in syrup make a good substitute.

FEEDS 10–12

INGREDIENTS

5 eggs, separated

165 g (5¾ oz/¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar + 1 tablespoon, to sprinkle

¼ teaspoon salt

185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) olive oil

Finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

10 apricots, halved & stones removed, OR tinned apricot halves, drained

TO SERVE

1 quantity Vanilla Sour Cream OR Vanilla Crème Fraîche (for both, see here) OR Yoghurt Mascarpone Cream

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Grease the ring of a 20–22 cm (8–8½ inch) springform tin, then turn the base upside down, so it no longer has a lip. Place a piece of baking paper over it, then clamp the ring around it to secure.

To make the cake, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until just foamy. Add only 55 g (2 oz/¼ cup) of the caster sugar in two batches, whisking well between each addition, until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Combine the egg yolks, remaining caster sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl, and whisk with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil, whisking on high speed until all of it has been used. Add the lemon zest and juice, rosemary and flour, and stir with a whisk until just combined. Whisk in one-third of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then add the remainder and stir very gently with the whisk until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin, and arrange the apricot halves in concentric circles on top, working from the outside in. Sprinkle the extra tablespoon of caster sugar evenly over the surface, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Rest the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, before releasing the ring and sliding the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Rest for about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving with your choice of dolloping cream – warm works for this cake!