this italian inspired cake is what summer (dessert) dreams are made of! featuring a blend of bob's red mill cornmeal & almond flour, it is a naturally gluten-free cake too. the ground cornmeal (similar to polenta) gives it a wonderful texture which is what really give this cake its italian flare. be sure not to mix up cornmeal & cornflour as they are not interchangeable in this recipe. i also love the addition of olive oil instead of butter for that extra bit of fruity flavour.
it is a very simple one-bowl dessert to whip up any night of the week! recently my extended family was visiting & i made this cake THREE times with various fruits. my personal favourite is this combintation of juicy peaches, whipped cream & peach schnapps for maximum peach flavour. if you want to use fresh cherries or strawberries, try it with amaretto! for a non-alcoholic version, simply brush the cake with simple syrup. this will ensure it stays moist & add a little extra bit of sweetness.
ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups bob's red mill superfine almond flour
- 1 cup bob's red mill medium OR fine grind cornmeal (fine will give less texture to the cake)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- peach schnapps, for brushing
- 2 cups sweetened whipped cream, for topping
- 4 thinly sliced peaches, for topping
directions
- preheat oven to 350(f) degrees. grease & line an 8-inch round cake pan.
- in a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, olive oil, eggs & extracts until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- add the almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder & salt. stir until combined.
- transfer mixture to prepared cake pan & bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. let cool completely before removing from pan.
- brush generously with peach schnapps. when ready to serve, top with whipped cream & sliced peaches.
