Olive Oil Cake

This recipe was given to me a long time ago by the grandmother of a Portuguese friend who grew up in the Alentejo.

The Alentejo is one of the most beautiful regions of Portugal. It is located southeast of Lisbon and north of the Algarve. It has a medieval, Roman and Arab heritage and its rich gastronomy is one of my favourites, I must say.

This delicious cake has a very distinctive flavour given by the olive oil, honey, cinnamon and the “Erva Doce”. Erva Doce is a mixed spice widely used in Portuguese cooking.

As you can see from the photos, my cake got overcooked, but, you know what? It tasted divine and it smelled really nice in my kitchen.

Ingredients:

2 dl olive oil

2 dl honey

4 eggs

170 g sugar

200 g self-raising flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon “Erva Doce” (you will find it in Portuguese grocery shops)

Preparation:

1. Mix the olive oil, honey, sugar and eggs, beating well for about 10 minutes.

2. Add the cinnamon and the Erva Doce and the self-raising flour and mix very well.

3. Pour the dough into a large savarin mould, well-greased with butter and sprinkled with flour.

4. Place it in the oven at 180°C to bake for about 40 minutes (check that it is cooked).

5. Once cooked unmould the cake and let it cool.

Serves 12

Note: You can prepare a smaller cake by using the half of the ingredients mentioned here.