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You are here: Home / Archives for olive oil

Grain-free Lemon Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

March 13, 2017 By Becky 39 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Grain-free Triple Lemon Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

This grain-free lemon cake with whipped cream frosting is made for Easter dinner, spring birthdays, or any other special occasion. It’s super lemony thanks to lemon zest, juice, curd, and extract!

It’s the roughest Monday of the year, but I brought cake to ease the pain! If springing forward has taken some of the pep out of your step, this grain-free lemon cake will put it right back in.

When my future sister-in-law asked for a lemon cake to celebrate her birthday, I was excited. A few months ago for a styled wedding shoot, my friend Lindsey and I made a lemon layer cake with blood orange curd and blood oranges on top. I’d been wanting to try something similar with a lemon curd filling, and this was the perfect opportunity. For this cake, I adapted my lemon olive oil Bundt cake recipe to create two round layers. (Before you can even ask, no, you can’t taste the olive oil! It’s just a super healthy, easy to work with fat for baking that creates a wonderfully tender crumb.)

Grain-free Triple Lemon Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

I used homemade lemon curd for the filling, and then frosted and decorated the cake with stabilized whipped cream. The result is a festive, richly lemon-flavored cake with tart curd and pillowy clouds of cream. It’s so good, and was a huge hit with my entire family, including my three young future nieces. I can’t wait to make it again next month for Easter!

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Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, recipe Tagged With: almond flour, cake, grain free, lemon, lemon curd, olive oil, spring, whipped cream

Lemon Olive Oil Cookies

May 23, 2016 By Becky 30 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

 Lemon Olive Oil Cookies (Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free)

These lemon olive oil cookies come together quickly and are free of gluten, grains, and dairy. The olive oil won’t assert its flavor in the finished cookies, but helps produce a tender, delicate crumb.

It’s Monday, but these lemon olive oil cookies can help ease the pain. They’re bright, chewy, and irresistible. They’re delicious right out of the oven or the next morning, when they fit right in at breakfast by masquerading as extra-tasty mini scones. They’re good with or without the glaze; you can make them with Meyer or regular lemons. The only way to go wrong with these cookies would be to not make them at all.

Lemon Olive Oil Cookies (Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free)

This is one of those cookie recipes where you basically just stir all the ingredients together in a bowl. You can even use a fork. The hardest part by far is zesting and juicing the lemons, and I find that fun. The smell of the lemon oils released from the peel is reward enough for me. (Wait, I take that back. I actually also need there to be cookies. Cookies are the best reward!)

When I make these without the glaze, I roll the balls of dough in a little raw sugar before baking them to give the outsides a little extra texture. If you’re planning to glaze them, you can skip that step.

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Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, recipe, vegetarian Tagged With: cookies, dairy free, glaze, grain free, lemon, olive oil

Olive Oil Blondies

March 10, 2016 By Becky 18 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Olive Oil Blondies (Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free)

These olive oil blondies are irresistibly chewy in the middle and crunchy around the edges. No one will guess that they’re gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and paleo friendly!

Here they are: quintessential and perfect blondies (olive oil blondies, no less!), which happen to be free of gluten, grains, and dairy. I don’t mean to brag, but I think I really nailed it with these: no one will know they’re grain free or that they’re made with olive oil. They’re also super easy to whip up with just one bowl and one fork. No melting, no creaming, and no mixer required.

Olive Oil Blondies (Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free)

When I was little and still the world’s pickiest eater, I loved to go to Annabelle’s, a long-gone café in my hometown of Wellesley, Massachusetts, for dinner. I always got macaroni and cheese and a blondie. My nostalgia for that meal runs so deep that thinking about it still makes me really sad, despite the fact that Annabelle’s has been closed since 1994.

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Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, recipe Tagged With: baking, blondies, chocolate, dairy free, grain free, olive oil

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

April 14, 2014 By Becky 52 Comments

 
This grain-free lemon olive oil cake is easy to whip up and is perfect for feeding a crowd. It’s my go-to paleo cake recipe!
 
Passover starts tonight, and if you have your big seder this evening, I realize I may be getting this dessert idea out too late.  However, it never hurts to have a delicious kosher for Passover snack cake on hand for days 2-8, right?  
 
Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Paleo, Grain-free, Kosher for Passover) acalculatedwhisk.com
 
This grain-free lemon olive oil cake would also be perfect for Easter–since I celebrate both holidays, I’m planning on making this again next weekend and dressing it up with some eggs and/or bunnies.
 
Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Paleo, Grain-free, Kosher for Passover) acalculatedwhisk.com

This cake is delicious: moist, tender, and perfectly lemony.  I couldn’t taste the olive oil, but I think it adds some hard-to-pinpoint depth to the overall flavor of the cake, and it’s nice to know you’re baking with a healthy, dairy-free cooking fat.  

The glaze is cashew-based, but I worked hard to make honey and lemon the prominent flavors, so I think people who don’t know cashews are the main ingredient won’t be able to figure it out.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Paleo, Grain-free, Kosher for Passover) acalculatedwhisk.com

I’ve made this lemon olive oil cake countless times for dinner parties, birthdays, and all manner of holidays, and it never fails to please. No one can tell that it’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, and paleo friendly, and everyone is surprised to hear it’s made from extra virgin olive oil. I hope you’ll give it a try!

Chag sameach and happy Easter, if you’re celebrating one of those holidays, and happy (finally) spring if you’re not.

 

Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free)

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

This grain-free lemon olive oil cake is easy to whip up and is perfect for feeding a crowd. It's my go-to paleo cake recipe!

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups lightly packed almond flour
  • 3/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest*

For the glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice*
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water for 1-2 hours and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest*
  • 2-3 tablespoons water (or more as needed)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and thoroughly grease a large (12-cup capacity) bundt pan with olive oil. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
  2. To make the cake, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together all the wet ingredients and the lemon zest in a medium bowl or two-cup measuring cup. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir until well-combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and put the pan (along with the baking sheet that's underneath it--this is just for ease of transport) in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the middle is set and a toothpick comes out almost clean (a few small crumbs are okay, but no goo). Cool for about 30 minutes in the pan, then carefully run a thin knife around the inner and outer edges of the cake to loosen it. You can try to invert it onto a plate at this point if it seems loose, but it might need a little bit more cajoling. If it does, place it in the freezer for 30-40 minutes, then dip the bottom of the pan into a bowl of very hot water for about 30 seconds. Invert the cake onto a plate, and it should slide right out.
  3. To make the glaze, combine all ingredients in your blender, or in a large bowl if you plan to use an immersion blender. Process until smooth, adding water as necessary to achieve a pourable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake (I transferred my glaze to a ziptop bag, snipped off a corner, and drizzled it on from the bag). Slice and serve!

Notes

*I got enough juice and zest for both the cake and the glaze from two lemons, but I'd recommend having a third lemon on hand just in case.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 Pound
    Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Gluten Free Almond Flour, 3 Pound
  • California Olive Ranch Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 25.4 oz each (Pack of 2)
    California Olive Ranch Everyday Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 25.4 oz each (Pack of 2)
  • Rodelle Gourmet Extract, Vanilla, 8 Ounce
    Rodelle Gourmet Extract, Vanilla, 8 Ounce
  • Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour - 16 Ounce - 2 Pk
    Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour - 16 Ounce - 2 Pk
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 pieces Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 355Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 167mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 8g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

© Becky Winkler
 
This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase on Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission (the price you pay is not affected).  Thank you so much for supporting my blog!

Filed Under: gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: ACW original, baking, bundt, cake, cashews, dairy free, Easter, glaze, grain free, lemon, olive oil, Passover

Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Cilantro Pesto

February 21, 2014 By Becky 11 Comments

Do you like to read “day in the life” posts?  I loved this one on What’s Gaby Cooking (the first food blog I ever read!),  saw this one recently on How Sweet It Is, and was inspired to write my own.  I think it’s fun to get a peek into someone’s daily routine.  Of course, if you don’t, you can just scroll down for the recipe.
If you’re still with me, here’s the story of my Thursday!
I woke up late, around 9:30.  Since Ben works from home on Thursdays, he had made coffee.  I had mine with vanilla chai spiced ghee and a splash of cream, blitzed with my immersion blender.
In the kitchen, I briefly contemplated abandoning my cauliflower plans since I wasn’t sure I had time to cook and photograph everything before class at noon, but I decided to go for it.  I had a gorgeous orange cauliflower from Whole Foods, so I had to take a few shots of it before chopping it up.

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Filed Under: gluten free, sides, vegetarian Tagged With: cauliflower, cilantro, grain free, olive oil, parmesan, pesto, primal, vegetables

Roasted Vegetable Soup

September 22, 2013 By Becky 2 Comments

I know what you’re thinking, but there is no pumpkin in this soup.
Parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes, yes, but no pumpkin.  See?  I’m branching out into other fall flavors.
This soup is sweet, creamy, and comforting.  Roasting the vegetables with thyme and olive oil gives them great flavor (as does a generous splash of wine).  In my opinion, though, serving the soup with a dollop of tangy creme fraiche and drops of rich olive oil is what really makes it so fabulous.
Here, olive oil is used for roasting the vegetables, sauteing the onion to make the base, and for finishing the soup.  I love this olive oil as a finish because you can really taste the earthy goodness of it, which is a great counterpoint to the sweet roasted veggies.  I hope you love this soup as much as I do!
P.S.  Did you know there’s a lot of fraudulent olive oil being imported and sold in our country?  Sometimes olive oil labeled as “extra-virgin” has lower-quality olive oils mixed in, or even other oils altogether (like canola).  Tom Mueller has written a whole book about it called Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. You can also read a blog post about it here.

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Filed Under: gluten free, paleo, recipe, soups, vegetarian Tagged With: creme fraiche, fall, olive oil, parsnip, sweet potato, thyme, turnip, vegetables

Blackberry, Almond, and Rocket Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

July 17, 2013 By Becky 4 Comments

Did you know that arugula is called rocket in the UK?  Arugula is a pretty fun word, but rocket is even better.  This salad has rocket in it, along with all the other delicious things listed in the title.  After making blackberry cupcakes for this month’s Get Your Chef On challenge, I wanted to do something else fabulous with the rest of my juicy blackberries.  I dreamed up this salad, and thought about it all day during class.

I was happy to find that it was even better than I had imagined!  The spicy arugula, sweet blackberries, creamy mozzarella, and toasty almonds are the perfect combination.  This is my new favorite summer salad.  Ben loved it, too!  When I served it he said it looked fancy (secret–any salad with blackberries looks fancy!), and then he asked for seconds.  Usually he’s a one plate of salad kind of guy.

So, here’s what I would recommend.  Go buy a lot of blackberries, make these cupcakes, then make this salad.  A light dinner with a decadent dessert is the perfect thing to have on a summer evening.

Ingredients (serves 2):

1/2 cup sliced almonds
3 cups arugula
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt
1 heaping cup blackberries
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, roughly cubed

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often to make sure they don’t burn, until golden brown (less than five minutes).  Set aside to cool.

Toss the arugula with the oil, vinegar, and salt and adjust seasonings to taste.

To serve, line plate with arugula.  Top with blackberries, fresh mozzarella, and toasted almonds.  Enjoy!

Filed Under: recipe, uncategorized, vegetarian Tagged With: almond, arugula, balsamic vinegar, blackberry, cheese, fresh mozzarella, healthy, low carb, olive oil, salad

Hi, I’m Becky!

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