No Sugar Added Olive Oil Harvest Cake
Olive Oil Harvest Cake is the perfect recipe to celebrate fall being just around the corner. To be fair, I like this No Sugar added Olive Oil Harvest Cake so much that I made it for my very summer August birthday. Living in Sicily, making this delicious cake is no easy feat in the summer. Apples and Oranges are not readily available yet in August and I had to walk to a gourmet grocery store to find the apples. Judging from the number of people who asked me for the recipe after my birthday party, my guests indicated they were happy I went to the extra effort!
What is Meant by No Sugar Added Cake?
Yes, maple syrup is a sweetener, but it is less processed and naturally made. Maple syrup is made by circulating the sap from maple trees rather than by adding or refining the sugar. As part of the Mediterranean Diet, it is important to use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup disguised as maple syrup. Pancake syrup is full of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup. The sugar is in the sap and relying only on natural sweeteners, this delicious no sugar added cake is just sweet enough. It relies on goodness from naturally sweet ingredients, apples, oranges, golden raisins and pure maple syrup.
Why Does Olive Sunshine Use Naturally Sweetened Maple Syrup?
- It has less sucrose. Real maple syrup has less grams of sugar, refined white sugar is 100 percent sucrose so one cup of refined sugar is one cup of sugar. Maple syrup on the other hand is only 67 percent sucrose.
- Less is needed to sweeten the cake. A typical cake of this size usually uses one cup of white sugar. The Olive Sunshine’s Olive Oil Harvest Cake uses 3/4 cup of maple syrup. Not only is there less sucrose in maple syrup, but also less is needed.
- Maple syrup has a lower glycemic index. A lower glycemic index means it has a slower spike of blood sugar levels in people. Maple syrup has a 54 glycemic index. Foods under a 55 glycemic index promote better digestion and cause less blood sugar spikes than other sugar-laden foods.
- It is delicious in baked goods. Real maple syrup in baked goods adds a rich caramel-like flavor that is perfect when paired with fall friendly spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Maple syrup has healthy minerals. Refined sugar has no redeeming qualities, whereas maple syrup is more than just “empty” calories. One tablespoon contains almost 1/3 of the daily values of manganese, a trace mineral that promotes strong bone health. There are other minerals including zinc, iron, and calcium.
- It keeps cake moist. Maple syrup is a rich liquid that adds a lovely spongey moisture that is perfect for this Olive Oil Harvest Cake.
Olive Oil is the WOW-Factor in the Olive Oil Harvest Cake
The Olive Oil Harvest Cake is moist and delicious. Using a quality extra-virgin olive oil is key to the success of this simple naturally sweetened cake. I love olive oil, and it is the inspiration for this blog, Olive Sunshine. Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is loaded with heart-healthy monosaturated fats. Olive oil is liquid gold and will leave your cake, moist and spongey. Be sure to choose an olive oil that is milder rather than a grassy or robust oil.
The No Sugar Added Olive Oil Harvest Cake is Healthy AND Delicious
The thing is that cheating on the Mediterranean Diet is not necessary. Desserts are part of the Mediterranean Diet (just less frequently than all of the other delicious food we eat on the diet). When I get to choose the dessert, like for my birthday, I choose to have less processed, better for me desserts. Choosing desserts made with extra virgin olive and maple syrup instead of butter and sugar makes me feel better without that dessert “hangover” later. I no longer have a taste for unhealthy fats, sugars, and processed food. The best part is people LOVE THIS CAKE, and no one is missing the bad for us ingredients!
Helpful TIPS When Making the Olive Oil Harvest Cake
- Peel and small shred the apples. While the Olive Oil Harvest Cake is a rustic case and certainly CAN have chunky fruit in it, I like it to have a smoother batter. I use my food processer to shred the apple and then I change the blade and pulse the shredded apple a three to four times to have very small pieces of shredded apples.
- Soak the fruit in the freshly squeezed orange juice. Soaking the apples in freshly squeezed orange juice ensures the apples do not brown. Soaking the raisins will plump them up so they are not chewy inside the cake. When they are plump with moisture, they are more likely to “float” in the batter spreading them evenly.
- Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperatures. Often people store maple syrup or eggs in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature before you start baking. Baking is a science and just like chemistry temperature changes the way the ingredients interact.
- Whip the oil and syrup. Olive oil and maple syrup are both dense liquids. Blending them together creates air bubbles making a fluffy cake.
- Add eggs one at a time. Room temperature eggs will help the liquid to emulsify. It is important that the liquid stays emulsified so that the cake bakes evenly!
- Preheat the oven early in the process. A heavy batter, it is important the leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) are READY to do the heavy lifting. Check the expiration dates of the leavening agents. Old ingredients will not work for this cake. Leavening agents start “working” within 1-2 minutes after being mixed with room temperature liquid ingredients.
- Do not overcook! A clean toothpick when inserted into the center of the cake cake will indicate it is cooked completely. It is important that it is not overcooked. I watch it during the last 10 minutes of baking. I also use a springform pan. This allows me to remove the sides from the cake right after removing it from the oven stopping the cooking process.
Eating the No Sugar Added Olive Oil Harvest Cake
I have developed these tips after making this cake a few times. The Olive Sunshine method has been perfected over time. These small techniques are what makes this simply delicious rustic cake unique! I know I have been successful when I am eating a No Sugar Added Olive Oil Harvest Cake when it is moist, with plenty of air bubbles and a soft crumb!
This is the best part of the process, now that you have made your cake – you can eat it too! I usually sprinkle a little confectioner sugar on top. I love it with a cup of tea in all of the unadorned cake’s glory. Serving it with a locally sourced honey, and drizzling it on top is also healthy and decadent if you have a bit of sweet tooth. I love to use orange honey! Yum. Yesterday morning, I took a small sliver of leftover cake and broke it into bite sized pieces and put several dollops of vegan Greek yogurt and a ton of fresh fruit on it! WOW now that was a delicious yogurt bowl.
Check out other Olive Sunshine deliciously healthy desserts!
Ingredients
Instructions
Peel and core the apples. Shred the apples in small pieces. Juice the oranges, be careful to ensure no seeds are in the juice. Pour the juice over the apples making sure to completely cover the apples. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 Celsius).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. Stir the apple mixture and add the raisins, making sure that the raisins are completely covered by the juice.
Using a 10-inch cake springform cake pan, if you have one, line it with a thin coat of olive oil and parchment paper. Set aside.
In a stand mixer if you have one, whisk the olive oil and syrup for 2 minutes or until it is frothy. While the mixer is on low, add the eggs, one egg at a time. Mix for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the syrup and oil mixture to the dry ingredients. Gently fold the ingredients together to form a thick batter (it will form a batter similar to a cookie dough). Do not over mix. All of the dry ingredients should be blended.
Drain the raisins and apples of any excess juice. Gently fold the fruit into the batter. The batter will loosen a bit with the wet fruit but will remain a very thick batter.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared spring-foam pan. Place the cake on a low rack in the preheated oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes. In a 10-inch pan the cake will take approximately 40 minutes to bake, but I advise the baker to watch it the last ten minutes. Do not overcook. If you are using 9-inch pan add 5 minutes to baking time. Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the cake. The cake is finished when it comes out clean. Do not overbake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a flat service. Remove the sides from the pan and allow the cake to cool before serving (well…only if you want). Once cool, dust with confectioner’s sugar and using the parchment paper, place the cake on a cake plate and serve!
Nutrition Per Serving
Hey, I do not blame you if you skipped the “blog” and went right to the recipe! I do it too sometimes. But please read the helpful tips above! It will help ensure your cake is moist and fluffy with a perfectly light crumb.
