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When you normally think of cake, olive oil is probably not the first thing that comes to mind, but it should, says cookbook author Caroline Wright. Caroline, who wrote Cake Magic, came by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her scrumptious idea for Olive Oil Vanilla Cake. The recipe is simple and it can even be done using a cake mix. Where the call is for butter, just use olive oil instead. It elevates the flavor of the cake to something amazing that you would not expect! Caroline also uses rosemary and lemon as part of the layering process to create a dessert that would be right at home at a fancy dinner party!
- Olive Oil for greasing the pans
- All-purpose flour, for dusting the pans
- 4 cups dry Cake Magic! cake mix, whisked well before measuring
- 3/4 cup full-fat plain yogurt (preferably not Greek yogurt)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and side of the pan(s). Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out any excess. (If making cupcakes, use liners instead of greasing and coating the tins.)
2. Place the cake mix in a large bowl. Stir in the yogurt, olive oil, water, vanilla, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain (be careful not to overmix). Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
3. Bake until the layers are domed and golden brown, and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 35 to 40 minutes (40 to 50 minutes for a Bundt, 25 to 30 minutes for a 13-by-9-inch cake, and 20 to 25 minutes for cupcakes).
4. At this point, coat the layers with syrup: pierce them, still in their pans, at one-inch intervals with a skewer or a paring knife. Then, pour or generously brush the syrup over the surface of the hot layers, dividing it between them as evenly as you can. Transfer the soaked layers (still in their pans) to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. When they are cooled and are no longer wet to the touch, one to two hours, carefully turn them out of their pans and assemble and frost.
Recipe by Caroline Wright, Cake Magic, and Workman Publishing and photos courtesy of Waterbury Publications, photographer Ken Carlson.
