Though I enjoy baking, it’s not something I do very often. My baking accoutrements are limited to a cookie sheet and a muffin pan, and I don’t even own an electric mixer. Moreover, knowing that the two of us will be on the hook to finish the entire dessert ourselves is often a deterrent enough. So more often than not, I end up saving dessert recipes for special occasions or instances where I know others will be able to help us enjoy the sweets.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Yogurt Loaf Cake
I remember seeing pictures of Rhianna’s extra virgin olive oil and yogurt loaf cake on her blog, and thinking what a brilliantly vibrant cake it was. I wanted to make something for Mack’s Grandma to help celebrate her birthday, and being a tea drinker, I thought the loaf would be a perfect afternoon accompaniment.
I’ve never made a cake using olive oil before, but I’ve read about the fruity flavour it can lend baked goods. However, I wasn’t able to discern a distinct flavour in my final product that I could attribute to the olive oil – nor was it wasn’t as bright as Rhianna’s cake. I also probably would have added some actual lime juice to the batter – the zest just didn’t lend enough citrus taste to the cake.
Extra virgin olive oil and yogurt loaf cake
Still, much like other yogurt loaves, I found that it helped keep the cake fairly moist. Most importantly though – Mack’s Grandma liked it!
Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
I didn’t grow up eating rhubarb. It just wasn’t a part of my Mom’s repertoire, so my first encounter with rhubarb was fairly recent, incorporated into a dessert of some kind. I liked it well enough, but didn’t think much about it until our weekly visits to the City Market opened my eyes to how ubiquitous rhubarb is here. Several of the produce vendors offer it (Sundog Organics, Edgar Farms, and Riverbend Gardens, among others), and I knew I couldn’t just keep passing it by.
We picked up several of the pink-green stalks from Sundog Organics a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t yet have a recipe in hand, but I knew my family would be willing to sample whatever I made. Searching online, the vast majority of recipes I stumbled across featured rhubarb paired with strawberries, but I really wanted to find something that would allow the rhubarb to sing on its own. This rhubarb upside-down cake was it.
It was super-easy to make (as I am sure most upside-down cakes are), and though the recipe author claims it isn’t the most attractive dessert, I thought otherwise, between the pink hues and the flecks of orange scattered throughout (I will say that the photo below is terrible though…most things that I photograph in my parents’ yellow kitchen appear jaundiced).
Rhubarb upside-down cake
Although the rhubarb was a bit tart, the edge was taken off by a scoop of cold, sweet ice cream. Amanda also suggested that cinnamon would be a worthy addition to the cake batter. I do think I will make this again though – it’s hard to resist using seasonal ingredients when they’re so readily available!
Only Here for the Food 
Glad you tried it!
I think that the colour I got was from the eggs I used. They were omega 3 ones and the yolks were out of control yellow!
That olive oil cake looks gorgeous!
I agree-I love the different red and pink hues on the top of the cake, like a natural tie-dye!
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What a coincidence, I made a rhubarb upside-cake last week too. I adapted a recipe from In My Element. The centre didn’t bake – either batter was too moist or maybe I used too much fruit (my fault, not Maki’s), but otherwise it was delicious. I’d make it again with some modifications.
What a coincidence, I made a rhubarb upside-cake last week too. I adapted a recipe from In My Element. The centre didn’t bake – either batter was too moist or maybe I used too much fruit (my fault, not Maki’s), but otherwise it was delicious. I’d make it again with some modifications.
I love that local bloggers are using one another’s recipes: wild and sweet. But, you have now motivated me, Sharon, to TRY to share my mother’s rhubarb cake recipe with you before we leave for the summer. Oh, help me – I will try. It is not heavy, very moist, not too sweet, not tart and maddeningly delicious. I try not to make it because I keep eating it. Although, yours does look lovely – as does the olive oil cake. Glad you made it. I have it on my list after seeing her post on it, too!
Now, I am calling my mom for her recipe… and I did grow up eating it, and wearing the leaves as hats, too!
🙂
Valerie
Cream – that might explain it! It was a good recipe though, and one I’d make again!
Heather – thanks! It doesn’t look as gorgeous as Cream’s though :).
Janet – I haven’t come across that community before. I’ll check it out!
Jean – I’m sure rhubarb cakes are all the rage right now :). And no one would blame you for using as much fruit as you can.
Valerie – that sounds delicious. Do share if you can, but only if it doesn’t elevate your stress level before your trip!
Hey great job on the baking Sharon! I’m not a baker either, baking intimidates me bit glad to see us both trying. You go girl!!
LeQuan – Thanks! But I saw your Superman pops – you’re no slouch either!
Love rhubarb – our family farm has 2-150 ft rows of the stuff, so I definitely had a lot of it growing up. (As did most of our town, we donated what we couldn’t use).
My grandma makes a delicious rhubarb upside-down cake as well…reminds me of being younger. Another great way to use it is rhubarb juice – needs a LOT of sugar, but definitely a great way to cool down in the summer.