Two olive oil cakes

 I just read my email from Daily Tip from Dr Weil.  It has a recipe for lemon olive oil cake.

I like the idea of using healthy olive oil rather than butter - but how will it taste?

Then I remembered that my son and daughter in la, Reid and Lisa, make a delicious walnut olive oil cake. So I'll share both.

(Someone try the lemon cake and let us know how it tastes.)

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Description

A True Food Kitchen restaurant exclusive! While you might be hesitant to use olive oil in a dessert recipe, such fears are groundless. Olive oil gives this cake a unique flavor and richness that is balanced out by a little sweetness and the light freshness of lemons. Hesitate no more! Watch a video with chef Michael Stebner:How to Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake. Food as Medicine Compounds known as limonins in the cells of citrus fruits have been shown to help reduce the risk of cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.

Ingredients

4 lemons, zested and juiced 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 eggs 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 cups evaporated cane sugar 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder

Instructions

Combine zest, juice and olive oil in a small bowl. In the mixer combine eggs & salt. Mix on medium for 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and continue to mix until pale and thickened. Turn mixer to low and slowly sift in the flour and baking powder, followed by the olive oil mixture. Do not over mix at this point; just incorporate the ingredients. Pour this mixture into a cake pan or muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes for cupcakes and 35 minutes for large cakes. Poke with a toothpick to check for doneness. Serve with Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries.

Walnut Orange Cake

(great with chocolate gelato)

1 ½ C chopped walnuts
1 C all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
4 eggs
1 ½ sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 orange (about ½ C juice)
½ olive oil
powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat to 350 degrees.  Spray 9 inch spring form pan with oil
Place the walnuts in a food processor and process until finely ground, almost to the consistency of bread crumbs.  In a bowl, combine the ground walnuts, flour, and baking powder.
Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy.  Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light, thick, and lemon colored.  Slowly add the walnut-flour mixture, beating continuously.  Then, with the mixer on low speed, add the orange zest and juice and the loive oil and mix until just combined.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 min.  Se the pan on a rack to cool.
Remove the pan sides and transfer the cake to a transportable serving platter.   Dust the top with powdered sugar, creating a decorative pattern if desired.  Serve at room temp, cut into wedges.