Makes a 9-inch cake
- 2-3 cups chopped peaches & plums
- 3 large eggs (about 170g total)
- All-purpose flour (about 1¼ cup)
- Sugar (about ¾-1 cup)
- Olive oil (not more than ¾ cup)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla powder
Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF. Prepare a 9-inch cake pan.
Prepare ingredients by weight: Weigh the eggs in their shells. Weigh the same amount of sugar, flour, and olive oil. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Remove a couple of tablespoons of sugar aside to add to the whites when you beat them.
Prepare batter: Using an electric mixer, slowly beat the olive oil into the sugar until all the oil has been absorbed. Beat on high a couple of minutes to make a fluffy mixture. Add the egg yolks and continue beating vigorously to blend well. Still beating, add the flour, about a quarter at a time, incorporating each addition fully before adding more. Add the vanilla extract (and almond extract, if using), and stir to combine. Set mixture aside.
Beat egg whites: In another large, clean bowl, place the egg whites with a pinch of salt and beat the whites to soft peaks. Sprinkle the reserved sugar over them and continue beating to very stiff peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter until thoroughly combined.
Assemble and bake: Turn half the batter into the prepared cake pan. Distribute about three-quarters of the chopped fruit over the batter in the pan, then top with the remaining batter. Distribute the remaining fruit over the top and and bake for about 45 minutes. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and the sides pull away from the pan. Remove to a cake rack and let cool before removing from the pan.
Based on a recipe from Saveur.