Almond, Olive Oil and Rosemary Cake

Decorated in glace fruit and crystalised rosemary, Marcus Wareing’s Almond, Olive Oil and Rosemary Cake makes a showstopping dessert.

(Originally from https://foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/marcus-wareings-almond-olive-oil-and-rosemary-cake)

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 4 eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 100ml olive oil
• 100g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
• 200g ground almonds
• 50g polenta
• 50g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 50g whole almonds, chopped
• 100g glace cherries, cut in half
• 100g glace fruit such as orange, lemon, mandarin slices, roughly chopped / sliced

For the glaze:

• 2 oranges, juice and zest
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp honey

To decorate:

• Selection of glace fruit such as lemon, orange, mandarin slices cut into large pieces
• Glace cherries
• Whole almonds
• Crystalised rosemary sprigs**

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin.
2. Put the eggs, sugar, lemon zest into a large bowl and whisk until pale, light, thick and creamy. The mixture should be at the ribbon stage where it leaves a ribbon trail on the surface when the whisk is lifted.
3. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice, oil and melted butter until combined. Don’t pour it all in, add a little at a time. 
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the almonds, polenta, flour and baking powder. Gently fold into the cake mixture to combine a little at a time. Fold in the chopped rosemary, chopped almonds, glace cherries and glace fruit to combine.
5. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch (cover with foil for the last 10 minutes if needed). When a skewer is inserted into the centre it should come out clean. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. 
6. To make the glaze, put the orange juice, zest, caster sugar, chopped rosemary and honey into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for around 6-8 minutes, until thickened and it coats the back of a spoon. 
7. Carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a cake stand. Use a pastry brush to cover the cake in the warm orange glaze and decorate with glacé fruit, cherries, and whole almonds. 
8. Finish with the crystallised rosemary sprigs and drizzle with a little extra of the glaze to serve. 

** to make the crystallised rosemary sprigs – dip rosemary sprigs in the honey and orange glaze to coat – then dip in caster sugar to evenly cover. Sit on a wire rack and allow to dry (preferably overnight).