Thyme & Olive Oil Cake

Kitty FloridoAugust 20, 2023

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

This cake really takes you by surprise. It doesn’t use sugar, butter or milk. Instead, those are replaced by honey, olive oil and greek yogurt. You’d think that a cake like this would be overly sweet because of the honey, but the tang of the greek yogurt combined with the bright and earthy flavor of the oil, brings it all together.

One of the best tips I can share when baking this cake, is to line the base of the cake pan – either regular or spring-form, like the one I use – with a sheet of parchment paper, then grease the sides and base of the pan. No need to add flour to it. The cake as it cooks, it will shrink on the sides and will come out perfectly. Just make sure to release it from the pan after 10 minutes. That way it’s not so hot when you take it out of the oven that can fall apart, and not too cool that will be stuck to the pan. Timers work wonders ⏱️

This recipe calls for fresh thyme leaves, as well as lime zest. Both bring so much to the flavor profile of the cake, making it hard to forget and a real crowd pleaser. And as we share that you must use them fresh, the rest of the ingredients can make or break the cake too. I absolutely love the honey from both El Mercadito de Lola and from La Tienda de Clio’s, and for the greek yogurt, I love the thickness of the one from Glad. No ads here, just mere suggestions from a true fan of all those brands.

When mixing the cake, no need for fancy equipment. First a whisk for the wet ingredients, then we switch it over to a spatula to get the dry ingredients incorporated. As you’re mixing the dry into the wet, you’ll see how some foam action starts. This is because the yogurt and the baking powder and soda are reacting to being put together. No fret, it’s ok! This is how the batter looked like after mixing the ingredients. If it looks like this, it’s ready for the oven.

This cake is best served with a dollop of greek yogurt mixed with a touch of vanilla, and a few berries on top. I had strawberries from our earlier shoot this week for our Strawberry Mimosa. In this house, we use it all – nothing goes to waste1

Kitty

Thyme Olive Oil Cake

Yields: 1 cake, 8 portions
Adapted from: The Kitchn

Ingredients:
1 cup greek yogurt
⅔ cup olive oil
⅔ cup honey
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Prep with parchment paper and grease an 8-inch springform pan lightly with oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, honey, thyme, and lemon zest until well combined.
One at the time, add the eggs whisking well after each addition. Then add the vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a spatula until the batter is almost smooth with just a few small lumps, but do not over mix. It will start to bubble a bit.
Transfer the batter to the cake pan, and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake until the top is lightly browned and a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the cake from the pan. Run a knife around the pan to loosen. If using a springform pan, unclasp the sides. Otherwise, flip the cake onto a plate and flip it back onto the rack or serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Have you made this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture with the hashtag #thefoodieskitchen!

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