This cake recipe came about through my friendship with wine and olive oil producers Frankland Estate. Of Middle Eastern heritage, using semolina in the cake batter provides a more dense yet open texture in the cake that soaks up the white wine and olive oil. Thyme is not a herb associated with sweet dishes however its flavour creates an interesting and complimentary element.
Ingredients
(Serves 10)
200 g finely ground pistachios
200 g semolina
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
3 free-range eggs
2 oranges, the zest finely grated
210 g (2/3 cup) honey
200 ml Frankland Estate extra virgin olive oil
100 ml Frankland Estate white wine
2 tsp thyme leaves
Glaze:
1 tbsp white wine
1 cup icing sugar
¼ cup coarsely ground pistachios
1 tsp thyme leaves
Method
- Line 2 x small or 1 x large loaf tin with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180˚ C.
- Mix the finely ground pistachios, semolina, salt and baking powder together in a small bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, orange zest and honey together until slightly thick and frothy.
- Combine the white wine and olive oil in a jug.
- Beat in the ground pistachio mixture together with the olive oil mixture and 2 teaspoon of thyme leaves to make a smooth wet batter. Pour into tin or tins and bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 150˚C and bake a further 40 minutes.
- Place on a wire cooling rack and leave to cook in the tin or tins.
- To make the glaze, stir the tablespoon of white wine into the icing sugar in a small bowl. Add a little extra wine if needed to make a glaze with the thickness of rich pouring cream. Spoon over the top or tops of the cake and sprinkle over the ¼ cup coarsely ground pistachio and teaspoon of thyme leaves.