Caramelised Pecan & Olive Oil Cake

This recipe was created in paid partnership with La Espanola.

Hi everyone, I hope you’re having a great week.

If you're over Christmas pudding by now, but you’re still craving a sweet treat, I’ve got an easy crowd-pleaser for you. Let me introduce you to my Caramelised Pecan & Olive Oil Cake. It’s tender, moist, and packed with warm, nutty flavours, topped with a glossy layer of caramelised pecans.

The best is that it’s surprisingly quick and easy to make, perfect if you’re short on time but still want to whip up something special. It also uses a minimal ingredient list, lots of which you’ll hopefully already have in the cupboard.

It’s great enjoyed a cup of tea but also special enough to serve as dessert with some vanilla ice cream or custard. It’s a great one to share with family and friends this festive season.

Caramelised Pecan & Olive Oil Cake

Serves 9 Slices

Ingredients

For The Pecan Topping

• 120g pecans

• 50g dark brown sugar

• 50g light brown sugar

• 115g unsalted butter

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

For The Cake

• 2 large eggs

• 150g golden caster sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 160g buttermilk

• 110g La Espanola extra virgin olive oil

• 190g plain flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp ground mixed spice

• Pinch of salt

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.

2. Grease an 8-inch square cake tin generously and line with greaseproof baking paper.

3. In a pan over low-medium heat, combine the butter, dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add the pecans to the pan, ensuring they’re evenly coated in the mixture. Remove from the heat.

4. Pour the pecan mixture into the base of the lined tin, spreading it out evenly. Set aside and allow to cool while you prepare the batter.

5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed for about 1 minute, until light and doubled in size.

6. Add the olive oil, buttermilk, and gently fold until combined.

7. Sift in the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, mixed spice and a pinch of salt. Fold gently until the batter is smooth but be careful not to over-mix.

8. Pour the batter over the pecan topping in the cake tin, spreading it out evenly.

9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

10. Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then carefully flip the cake onto a serving plate. Gently peel off the greaseproof paper to reveal the glossy pecan top.

11. Slice into 9 squares and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of custard.