Recipe: Lavender & Olive Oil Cake

From staff and wire reports

September 29, 2011 at 12:47 pm  | Mobile Reader | Print 

Courtesy photo

Ingredients:

Baking spray with flour

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

1 tablespoon culinary lavender, crushed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup plain yogurt

3 large eggs

2/3 cup pure olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons honey

3/4 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature

Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan generously with baking spray; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Whisk together sugar, orange peel, lavender and pepper in a large mixing bowl until evenly distributed.

Add yogurt, eggs and olive oil; continue whisking until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture and gently whisk in until just combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan 5 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely.

Whip cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

Add honey and continue to whip until stiff. Add ricotta cheese, a dollop at a time, and beat until fluffy. Slice cake.

Top slices with honeyed ricotta and sprinkle with lavender.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings