Olive Oil Almond Bundt Cake with Berries + Basil Sugar {vegan}

An olive oil, almond bundt cake rippled with dark berries and fragrant with zesty-peppery basil sugar. Make this for an afternoon tea with friends or cut into thick slices and pack in a picnic basket to take to the park on a Spring afternoon.

Today I bring you a very very good olive oil cake – it’s pistachio-hued and rippled with berries, their bubbling juices staining the surrounding crumb here and there in shades of pink and blue. There’s a tangy lemon glaze and a sprinkle of crunchy basil sugar adorning the top. In short, I bring you a cake that is perfect to snack on at any time of day, particularly with coffee or tea.

It looks almost Christmassy, with the dark red berries, green basil sugar flourish and the ornate impressions from the bundt tin. I can’t say I’m surprised that I accidentally made a Christmas-vibe kind of cake – I went Christmas shopping on the weekend, purchased some new sparkling snow-white baubles and twinkling tree lights and found a few Christmas DVD’s that were missing from my collection (Elf! Home Alone!), so I was in a very Christmassy kind of mood. Is it too early to break out the Christmas carols?!

I love olive oil cakes. In this bundt the basil enhances the floral flavour of the olive oil and sits so nicely alongside the sweet-sour berries and tangy lemon glaze and the almond meal and almond ‘buttermilk’ add lightness and a nutty flavour that always pairs well with fruit. It’s wonderful. I’m not sure my pictures did it justice, It really is beautiful.

Olive Oil Almond Bundt Cake with Berries + Basil Sugar {vegan}

vegan, egg‐free, dairy‐free, soy‐free

A flavourful olive oil and almond bundt cake, rippled with dark berries and fragrant with zesty‐peppery basil sugar. Make this for an afternoon tea with friends or cut into thick slices and pack in a picnic basket to take to the park on a Spring afternoon.

Servings 12

Ingredients

basil sugar

• 3/4 cup packed basil leaves
• 1 3/4 cup raw sugar I used demerera
• zest of 1 large lemon

cake

• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cup all‐purpose flour
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 1/2 cup mixed berries chopped into smaller pieces if large (fresh or frozen, no need to defrost if using frozen)
• 1 1/2 cup basil sugar
• 3/4 cup good quality mild extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 tbsp water & set aside to thicken
• 1/4 cup coconut yoghurt
• juice of 1 lemon about 2 tbsp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

glaze

• 2 cup powdered sugar sifted
• about 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil

to top

• 1/4 cup basil sugar

Instructions

basil sugar

• Blend the basil leaves in a food processor until finely chopped, add the sugar & lemon zest and pulse until everything is mixed together well and no visible pieces of basil remain. If not using immediately, keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

olive oil cake

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius / 350 fahrenheit. Oil a 10‐cup sized bundt tin well (I used room temp coconut oil, it's a little more solid and seems to help the cake to not stick), making sure to get into every crevice. Dust with flour, shaking out any excess and set aside.
• Make the buttermilk — add the lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to a measuring jug, then pour in the almond milk. Mix gently and leave to 'activate' for 10 minutes.
• Add the flours, sea salt, baking soda & powder to a large bowl & whisk to combine & aerate. Using your hands, toss the berries through the flour mixture until coated. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups basil sugar, olive oil, flax egg, buttermilk, yoghurt, lemon juice & vanilla. Fold the wet mixture through the berry‐flour mix until just combined & pour into the prepared bundt tin.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 60–70 minutes or so, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes with no gooey batter attached. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then carefully flip the bundt tin upside down onto a cooling rack and lift the tin off. It should slip right out, slide a knife around the edge if it needs a little help. Leave on the rack until completely cool. Meanwhile make the glaze.

glaze

• Whisk together the sifted powered sugar, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl until combined. It should be thick, but thin enough to drip slowly over the cake. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar until you have the right consistency. Allow to thicken before drizzling the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup basil sugar.
• Best served on the day of baking, but the cake will keep 3–4 days in an airtight container.

UPDATE 21/5/17 – Today I had the pleasure of taking over @thefeedfeed snapchat and instagram stories for the day, and I just so happened to make this gorgeous cake! Luckily the lovely people at the feed feed have made a video of my takeover, so you can check it out below if you’d like tips for making this recipe. Gather your ingredients together and bake along with me 🙂