Italian Rosemary Apple Olive-Oil Cake

Italian bakers often swap butter for olive oil, lending cakes a moist crumb and gentle fruitiness. Here, thin apple wedges and fresh rosemary perfume the batter for a simple, fragrant dessert finished with a dusting of sugar.

Serves 8 · 20 min prep · 45 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 340 cal
• 5g protein
• 42g carbs
• 18g fat

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Ingredients

• 2 large Gala or Honeycrisp apples
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment so the cake releases cleanly.
2. 2Peel and core the apples, then cut them into thin wedges about 1/8-inch thick; reserve a few pretty slices for the top.
3. 3In a large bowl whisk the olive oil and granulated sugar together until the mixture looks slightly thickened and pale.
4. 4Beat in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and chopped rosemary until the batter smells fragrant and herbal.
5. 5In another bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain.
6. 6Fold most of the apple wedges into the batter, then scrape everything into the prepared pan and arrange the reserved slices in a circular pattern on top.
7. 7Bake on the center rack for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden brown, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
8. 8Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a knife the edge and invert onto the rack; peel off the parchment and flip right-side up.
9. 9Let the cake cool another 20 minutes so the crumb sets, then dust generously with powdered sugar just before slicing.
10. 10Serve slightly warm or at room temperature; the olive oil keeps it moist for days and the rosemary makes it feel bakery-special.