Frankie's Olive Oil Bundt Cake

frankies cake

There is this great little homey Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Frankie's Spuntino.
I love the cozy casual atomsphere and the rustic food they serve.

Well, this month's Food & Wine had an article with some of their recipes inside.

I made Frankie's unusual olive oil bundt cake.
Why do I say it's unusual?

Well, for one, it has a teaspoon of sea salt in the recipe, which really hits you when you take a bite. It's an interesting and nice combo using good Sicilian olive oil and the orange zest.



They use a special olive oil from Sicily, and it really makes a difference.
I happen to have a bottle of Frantoia from Sicily, which I treat myself to every once in a while, and save only for special occasions. It's so delicious, I can sip it.

Let's not get carried away here.

It's pricey, so I don't use it for cooking. I use it in small quantities, except for this recipe, which calls for 1 cup.

It was worth every drop.

After a few days, the cake got a little dry, so I couldn't resist saving it by making an orange juice and confectioner sugar glaze, and it was even better!

Frankie's Olive Oil Bundt Cake: (adapted from Food & Wine)

5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt (I used Fleur de Sel)

Preheat the oven to 325° and butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar and orange zest at medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually beat in the olive oil until creamy, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the cake flour with the baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating on medium speed between additions.



Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes (the recipe says 1 hour, but mine was done in less), until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into slices and serving.



This is not a cake for everyone.
If you like a sweet, icing type of cake, skip this one.
But if you are like me, and like an interesting taste with every bite, special and great with a cup of coffee at 3 pm, then this cake is for you.








Comments

cookeaze said…
Wow!!! I m hungry....Looks so yummy and perfect..
kat said…
I bet that is delicious! We had olive oil cake out earlier this week it had me thinking I need to make one too.
Foodiewife said…
I love bundt cakes and I've been wanting to make an olive oil cake for some time. I saved Giada's recipe, and I should revisit that. I don't have the kind of olive oil you describe-- not sure if I could find something like it or comparable-- and am afraid to ask "how much"? The salt idea is intriguing. Great photo of the finished bundt. It makes me wish I could have a taste.
Dana said…
In all my baking, I've never made an olive oil cake - it just sounds wrong to me. But I do trust your taste so I will clip this recipe out of my magazine. Hope you are having a nice weekend!
The Food Hunter said…
I love olive oil cakes. I think I might try this one tomorrow.
Stacey, this is my kind of cake. I've never cared for the sugary sticky icing on traditional sweet cakes. The orange juice and confectioners sugar glaze would sure make it better as it dried. Thank you, Frankie and F&W.
Sam
Jen_from_NJ said…
Stacey, this post is calling my name! I have a nearly full bottle of Frantoia olive oil that I picked up at Delicious Orchards. I am a "not too sweet" kind of cake person, so I'm sure that I'll love it. Your glaze sounds perfect also!
noble pig said…
I with out a doubt, must get that oil and make this cake, have to, have to.
cedar chests said…
The post made me hungry! I really need to try this because I am so curious of the taste. Thanks for sharing!
I know I'd love this, I love orange flavors in baking. I even put some orange zest in "our" date bread.
SarahB said…
I can't stand how good this looks! I can almost taste it!
Randi Lynne said…
I decided to try this in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. It took about 40 mins and I really should have checked it a little sooner. I really like the taste of this cake, though.
The JR said…
I think I would like it. Your's is beautiful.
Angela said…
Orange zest and olive oil -- that's pushing all my buttons. Thanks for this awesome recipe, Stacey!
Lori Lynn said…
Oh I've been missing so much. I'm not the sweet type either. And gotta love the healthy oil! This sounds excellent. I wonder if it will work with just egg whites? I just might try it...
LL