Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Cake w/ Rosemary

Using herbs in baked goods has always been my thing.

Since my first cake post back in 2008, a fig cake w/ lemon and rosemary....I was hooked.

And olive oil is also an ingredient that I have learned to love in cakes.

So many people ask "rosemary in a cake?"....yes, try it, you like it.

This beautiful cake is from the book GOOD TO THE GRAIN by Kim Boyce. Her recipes use different flours, most of which I don't buy, so have to make a special note to stock up on ingredients when making a recipe from this beautiful book.

I took a note from Heidi's blog, and followed her tips......bake it in a loaf pan......sprinkle the top w/ sugar........use 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour mixed in with the AP flour.

Heidi says it's her favorite cake in 10 years. That's a rave review.

You know I love a loaf cake, and I love rosemary and olive oil, so what could be bad.
Nothing.

This cake is so lovely. Almost rustic, if I may say.

The nice crunch from the whole wheat flour (I used Arrowhead Mills stoneground) was so good.
I like that Heidi added extra chocolate chips to the top.

This cake freezes beautifully, and travels well. That's always a must in my book.

What else can I tell you about this lovely loaf?

Nothing.

Just bake it and eat it, cause it's so good.

Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Cake w/ Rosemary: (adapted from Good to the Grain and 101 Cookbooks)

Dry ingredients:

3/4 cup / 3 oz / 80g whole wheat pastry flour (I used Arrowhead Mills organic whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 cups / 7.5 oz / 210 g all-purpose flour
3/4 cup / 4 oz / 115g sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup / 240 ml olive oil
3/4 cup / 180 ml whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 ounces / 140 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons sugar for top crunch

Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Rub a 9 1/2-inch loaf pan or equivalent, with olive oil (and/or line with parchment paper).

Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring any bits of grain or other ingredients left in the sifter back into the bowl. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again.

Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top.

Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and run a fork along the length of the chocolate so that the batter envelops it just a bit.

Sprinkle with the extra 2 tbsp of sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean (my cake took exactly 40 minutes in an enamel loaf pan).

This could be the perfect slice of cake.

This cake freezes well too!