Kozani Spice Olive Oil Cake

Makes one 9” cake.

This tender, not-too-sweet cake is perfect for afternoon tea or try a slice for breakfast with a steaming cup of coffee.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar *
3 large eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Kozani Spice blend
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons slice almonds, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a heavy, 9-inch cake pan. Line the bottom with baking parchment and grease that too. Coat the greased cake pan with flour, tapping out any excess. Set aside.

Mix the flours, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside. Measure the milk, add the Kozani Spice, and lemon juice. Stir together and set aside.

Use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and eggs together until they are satiny smooth, thick, and a light butter color, about 2 minutes. With the beaters running, drizzle in the oil, incorporating it completely.

Add the milk mixture and lemon zest to the egg mixture, stir to mix, then fold in the flour mixture, using strong, quick strokes. Don’t over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with almonds, if using. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is domed and golden. A cake tester should come out close-to-clean when poked into the top center.

Cool for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate and allow to cool completely before slicing the cake.

* We like the slightly caramel-y flavor of organic cane sugar in this recipe, but any granulated sugar will work just fine.

Top it off! Generously dust the cake with powdered sugar and strew fresh flowers over it (rose petals, violets, pansies, nasturtium, apple blossoms, geranium petals are all edible). Also nice with a dollop of crème fraîche.