Campari olive oil cake cover

Campari Olive Oil Cake

I can make a few things very well. I find that the fancier the name, the more impressed people are with it. I’m sharing the recipe that I can”t stop making and people can’t stop asking for the recipe.

Campari olive oil cake

I got the recipe here and change it up each time. Most notably, I double the amount of zests, use a really good olive oil, and serve on a chic cutting board like this, because let’s be honest… you want to let the cake steal the show. The recipe calls for a dollop of whipped cream, but I usually serve with more and add garnishes on top like candied oranges, blood orange slices, and of course, a few olive branches. Cake is best served the day it is baked.

If Campari is too bitter for you, I’ve also made it with equal parts Aperol and Campari and find that it still tastes great. I personally think whipped cream (or cool whip if we’re being honest) offsets the bitter bits.

Ingredients:

¼ cup/55 grams unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted, plus more for greasing the pan

2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour

1 ⅔ cups/330 grams granulated sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

⅔ cup/160 milliliters whole milk

⅔ cup/160 milliliters mild olive oil

3 large eggs

⅓ cup/80 milliliters Campari

1 tablespoon grated grapefruit zest

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

¼ cup/60 milliliters fresh grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whipped crème fraîche or whipped cream, sweetened or not as you like, for serving

Preparation:
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. (You can use a regular 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep, but the cake will be harder to unmold.)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, milk, oil, eggs, Campari, citrus zests, and citrus juices. Fold in the dry ingredients, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed in the center, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (A cake tester might emerge with a few crumbs, which is OK.)
  4. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Then run a butter knife around the edges and release the sides. Serve with dollops of whipped crème fraîche. This cake is best served on the same day that it’s baked.