Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake with Peaches in Honey Lemon Syrup

Fresh peaches have arrived! The first sighting for me turns out to be California peaches that are small and fragrant with a deep crimson blush. Beautiful.

Since I always like to enjoy the season’s first tasting with minimal preparation, I served them sliced with skins on and bathed in a light honey lemon syrup, cozily nestled on a slice of Alice Medrich’s deliciously fragrant Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake. This is quintessential Mediterranean and northern California fare that seems a perfect way to ring in the new season of gorgeously plump and juicy fruit. Simple, flavorful and full of the colors you’d see in a Cezanne.

The cake has a dense tight crumb but is fairly light for a pound cake due to the substitution of olive oil for butter. The flavor is of course also considerably different thanks to the luscious scent of cold-pressed olives and the unique characteristics of amontillado sherry. The orange zest bridges the two and rounds out the different notes. Although wonderful all by it self, it’s especially fabulous with these fresh peaches. As the cake bakes, you’ll be surrounded with a dazzling aroma that will easily take you to the shores of Barcelona or the vineyards of Napa’s Silverado Trail. Dreamy.


Bench notes:
- Use an olive oil that is extra virgin and full of flavor. The sherry should be amontillado, which is in between a fino (darker) and an oloroso (lighter). It is often served with olives or cheese, nuts and dried fruit. It has a nutty, yeasty flavor with a hint of lemon. I used a dry Lustau Los Arcos.
- The cake definitely improves when allowed to sit for a day. The flavors mingle and mellow together and are much more integrated. After it cools completely, wrap in an airtight container and give it some time.
- This cake would also go well with apricots, nectarines, plums, pears or roasted dates or Noyau Ice Cream.



Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake with Peaches in Honey Lemon Syrup

Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake
adapted from Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich
makes 2 loaves

3 C flour
2 t baking powder
1⁄4 t salt
2 C sugar
1 C flavorful extra virgin olive oil
2 t grated orange zest
5 cold eggs
1 C amontillado sherry

Prepare two 8 1/2” x 4 1/2” loaf pans with oil and a wide strip of parchment paper, leaving an inch or two hanging over the longer sides of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk the sugar, oil and orange zest on high speed until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. When all the eggs have been incorporated, beat until the mixture is thick and pale, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add one-third of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until blended. Add half of the sherry and mix just until blended. Repeat with another third of the flour, followed by the remaining sherry and then the remaining flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes. Gently lift the cakes up by the overhanging parchment paper and cool completely.

Wrapped airtight, the cake stores well at room temperature for about 3 days.

Peaches in Honey Lemon Syrup

6 small ripe peaches
1/4 C mild honey
3 T water
1 – 2 t fresh lemon juice, to taste

Place the honey and water in a saucepan and warm over low heat until dissolved and blended. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice to taste.

Slice the peaches and toss with the honey lemon syrup.