Olive oil & muscat cake

• butter↗

  for the tin

• plain flour↗225g g

  sifted, plus extra for the tin

• eggs↗5

  plus 2 extra egg whites

• caster sugar↗225g g
• extra virgin olive oil↗125ml ml
• orange muscat↗125ml ml

  or other syrupy dessert wine

• lemon↗1

  finely zested

• orange↗1

  finely zested

• icing sugar↗

  for dusting

• sliced peaches

  and whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Butter the base, line and flour a 22cm springform cake tin. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

2. 2

   Separate the eggs and beat the yolks with half the caster sugar using an electric whisk until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5-8 mins. Gradually add the olive oil and the dessert wine, pouring them in a steady stream. Add the grated zests. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the flour and ¼ tsp salt.

3. 3

   Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until they form soft peaks, then add the rest of the sugar and continue beating until they form stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the egg and flour mixture and scrape into the cake tin. Bake for 20 mins, then turn down to 150C/130C fan/gas 2 and bake for another 30 mins. Turn the oven off, cover the cake with a round of buttered parchment and leave in the oven for another 10 mins. Remove and let the cake cool in its tin. Once it’s cool, carefully turn the cake out, dust the surface with icing sugar and serve with peaches and cream, if you like.