Olive Oil Tenerina Cake

If you ask to my beloved Nonna Fernanda (born and raised in beautiful Milan-Italy 89 years ago) for one of her amazing recipes, she will call all the ingredients by their names except for one that she will call by the brand name : Olio Bertolli (Bertolli Olive Oil), because she strongly believes that the key ingredient of her delicious authentic Northern Italian cuisine is the Bertolli Oil. Therefore I’m very happy to enter the Taste of Tradition Recipe Contest with one of my favorite authentic Italian recipe to celebrate the 150 anniversary of this brand and as a personal tribute to my amazingly talented grandmother Nonna Fernanda.

Tenerina cake, is a traditional chocolatey cake from the beautiful city of Ferrara (Emilia Romagna region), where I used to spend my summer vacation when I was a little girl. This time I substitute the butter with Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil and it turned out perfectly moist, not too sweet and delicious as always.

Fingers crossed!!!

Photo by Ale Gambini -BreadLoveAndDReams.com

Servings : 8

Difficulty : easy

Prep Time : 20 min.

Cook Time : 30 min.

INGREDIENTS

7 ounces dark chocolate

4 fluid ounces Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil

2 eggs, separated

1 pinch of salt

3 ounces caster sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons whole milk

powdered sugar, to sprinkle (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven at 325 F degrees.

Grease a 9 inch cake pan with baking spray, than cover bottom and sides of the cake with parchment paper and grease also the parchment paper with baking spray. Set aside.

Melt completely the dark chocolate at bain-marie or in a microwave. Allow to cool slightly.

Pour the olive oil into the melted chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.

With a hand or stand mixer, beat the sugar and the egg yolks until yellow and foamy.

Add the chocolate mixture, the flour and the milk. Continue to beat until creamy and smooth.

Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.

Fold gently the whipped egg whites into the cake batter.

Place the cake batter into the cake pan and bake for 25/30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool in its pan.

Unmold carefully the cake on a serving plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.