Apple and Olive Oil Bundt Cake
ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 4 HR 5 MIN
SERVES 12Freshly crushed cardamom seeds give the
cake incredible flavor; it’s worth grinding
them yourself.Unsalted butter, for greasing
2 green cardamom pods
12 / 3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 /^2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. orange zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
21 / 3 cups all-purpose flour (about 10
oz.), plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 2
large apples), peeled and cut into(^1) / 2 -inch pieces
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
11 / 2 cups lightly sweetened whipped
cream, for serving
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously
grease and flour a 14-cup Bundt pan. Heat
cardamom pods in a small skillet over
medium, stirring often, until lightly toasted
and fragrant, about 2 minutes. When cool
enough to handle, crack open outer shells,
and transfer small brown seeds to a
mortar and pestle. Discard shells. Crush
seeds until finely ground; set aside. - Place granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks,
and salt in bowl of a heavy-duty stand
mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat on medium speed until mixture is
light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in
orange zest, vanilla, and ground carda-
mom, stopping to scrape down sides of
bowl as needed. With mixer running on
medium speed, gradually add olive oil in a
slow, steady stream, slowing pour as nec-
essary to ensure oil is fully incorporated. - Sift flour and baking powder over egg
mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold in
flour mixture until almost completely
incorporated; add apples, and fold just
until combined. Spoon batter into pre-
pared pan. Bake in preheated oven until
golden brown and a long wooden pick
inserted in center comes out clean, about
1 hour. Transfer cake in pan to a wire rack,
and let cool 30 minutes. Invert cake onto
wire rack, and cool completely, about 2
hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and
serve with whipped cream.
NOTE Cake may be wrapped in plastic
wrap and stored at room temperature up
to 2 days.
Sour Cherry–Cheesecake Trifle
with Black Pepper and Saba
PHOTO P. 134
ACTIVE 1 HR 30 MIN; TOTAL 5 HR 30 MIN
SERVES 16Source saba, a syrup of reduced grape
must, from an Italian producer such as
San Giacomo (available at amazon.com),
or substitute pomegranate molasses.SOUR CHERRIES IN SABA
11 / 2 lb. frozen pitted sour cherries
1 / 2 cup granulated sugar
1 / 4 cup saba
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon zest plus 2 Tbsp. fresh
lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 / 8 tsp. kosher salt
POUND CAKE
11 / 2 cups unsalted butter (12 oz.),
softened, plus more for greasing
21 / 4 cups granulated sugar
1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour (about 12^3 /^4
oz.), plus more for pan
1 / 2 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
CHEESECAKE FILLING
3 cups heavy cream
3 / 4 cup powdered sugar (about 3 oz.),
divided
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt
4 oz. goat cheese, softened
1 / 2 cup crème fraîche
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 / 2 tsp. black pepper, plus more for
garnish
Edible flowers and fresh fruit, for
garnish (optional)- Make the sour cherries in saba: Stir
together cherries, sugar, saba, vanilla,
lemon zest and juice, and salt in a large
saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring
occasionally, until warmed through, about
10 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool
completely, about 1 hour. - Make the pound cake: Preheat oven to
300°F. Grease and flour a 13- x 9-inch
baking pan. Beat butter in bowl of a
heavy-duty stand mixer on medium
speed until light and creamy, about 5 min-
utes. Gradually add sugar and salt, beat-
ing on medium speed until pale and fluffy,
about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time,
beating until combined after each addi-
tion. Add flour in 3 additions alternately
with milk, beating on low speed until com-
bined after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and
smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake in
preheated oven until golden brown and a
wooden pick inserted in center comes out
clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a wire
rack 20 minutes. Invert cake onto wire
rack, and cool completely, about 1 hour.
Cut cake into 1-inch pieces.- Make the cheesecake filling: Beat
heavy cream with a handheld mixer fitted
with the whisk attachment on medium
speed, gradually beating in^1 / 2 cup pow-
dered sugar until soft peaks form, 3 to 4
minutes. Cover and chill. Combine cream
cheese, honey, lemon zest, salt, and
remaining^1 / 4 cup powdered sugar in bowl
of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with
the paddle attachment. Beat on medium
speed until light and smooth, about 6 min-
utes, stopping to scrape down sides of
bowl as needed. Add goat cheese, and
beat on medium speed until smooth,
about 1 minute. Add crème fraîche, and
beat until incorporated, about 30 sec-
onds. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into
cream cheese mixture just until incorpo-
rated. Fold in another 2 cups whipped
cream just until incorporated. Chill and
reserve remaining 2 cups whipped cream. - Assemble the trifle: Preheat oven to
300°F. Crumble 2 cups cake pieces over a
rimmed baking sheet. Add melted butter
and black pepper; toss to coat. Bake, stir-
ring occasionally, until golden brown and
dry, 25 to 30 minutes. - Drain cherries in saba, reserving juice.
Reserve^1 / 4 cup drained cherries and 1
tablespoon juice for garnish. Layer one-
third of untoasted cake pieces (about 4
cups) in a 4-quart trifle dish. Top with one-
third of drained cherries (about 1 cup),
and drizzle with one-third of juice (about^1 / 2
cup). Spread half of cheesecake filling
(a b o u t 2^1 / 2 cups) over top. Sprinkle with^1 / 2
cup toasted cake crumbs. Layer with half
of remaining untoasted cake pieces and
half of remaining drained cherries; drizzle
with half of remaining juice (about^1 / 2 cup).
Spread remaining half of cheesecake fill-
ing over top. Top with remaining untoasted
cake pieces and remaining drained cher-
ries, and drizzle with remaining^1 / 2 cup
juice. Spread reserved 2 cups whipped
cream over top. Chill, uncovered, until cake
has softened, about 2 hours. Garnish with
reserved^1 / 4 cup drained cherries, black
pepper, and, if desired, edible flowers and
fresh fruit. Garnish with a sprinkle of the
toasted cake crumbs, reserving remain-
ing crumbs to garnish individual servings.
137FOOD STYLING: ALISON ATTENBOROUGH; PROP STYLING: CARLA GONZALEZ-HART