Cake aux olives (Olive cake) is prepared from an olive-oil-laden batter packed full of jambon, cheese, whole almonds and copious amounts of stoned, whole olives – plain or marinated, green or black – cooked in a loaf tin, and served sliced and warm. It’s a nifty way of being able to eat copious amounts of olives, with a little starch to soak up the liquid refreshments!

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup quality olive oil - virgin olive oil is ideal here
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup stoned olives, use black and or green, marinated, stuffed or plain
• 1 cup shredded or grated Emmenthal or edam cheese
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup toasted whole almonds
• 2 - 3 slices jambon or prosciutto, diced
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 21 x 11cm loaf tin or one of similar size. Alternatively, two smaller tins can be used.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat the eggs and oil together and slowly pour into the well, stirring with a wooden spoon to make a thick batter. In a jug, stir the baking powder and white wine together until the powder is dissolved and stir into the batter.
3. Add the olives, cheese, almonds, jambon along with a good seasoning of pepper and a pinch salt. Stir only until mixed. Transfer to the prepared loaf tin.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden and the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack.