LEMONY ALMOND–OLIVE OIL CAKE

While working with New York City chef George Mendes on his cookbook, I got to know his pastry chef at the time, Shelly Acuna. She created her restaurant desserts using basic—and perfect—building blocks. In the spring, she served hand-torn chunks of olive oil cake with fresh strawberries, homemade sorbet, and ricotta cream. The cake was great even by itself. Inspired by her formula, I created my own version and added almonds—ground and almond milk—to make this a dairy-free dessert. A touch of lemon oil bolsters the generous dose of lemon zest, so the citrus shines alongside the fruitiness of the olive oil.

TIPS:

•  Use a fruity olive oil, such as Spanish Arbequina.

•  Lemon oil is available in specialty stores and online, but extract works.

makes one 9-by-13-inch cake

dairy-free

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325ºF. Coat a 9-by-13-by-2-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray the parchment.

2. Whisk the lemon zest and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar is evenly moistened and yellow. Whisk in both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well mixed. Whisk the olive oil, almond milk, and eggs in a medium bowl until smooth. Continuously whisk the dry ingredients by hand while adding the wet ingredients in a steady stream. Whisk just until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.

3. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. When you gently press the top of the cake, it should almost spring back.

4. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. You can cut the cake and serve it straight out of the pan, or you can flip it out to unmold before cutting.

MAKE AHEAD

The cake will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.