Cherry-Olive Oil Polenta Cake / Chef Vitaly Paley

Yields8 Servings
 3 large eggs
 1 ½ cups sugar
 1 tbsp vanilla extract
 ½ cup Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 Finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon
 3 cups all-purpose flour
 ¾ tsp baking soda
 ¾ tsp Durant Fleur de Sel Sea Salt
  cup polenta or cornmeal
 2 ½ cups fresh cherries, pitted (about 1 pound)
 crème fraîche, for topping
1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 10-inch round cake pan with oil.

2

Mix eggs with sugar, EVOO, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

3

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the egg mixture along with the polenta (or cornmeal) and mix until combined.

4

Pour two thirds of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly distribute the cherries over the batter, covering it completely. Spoon the remaining batter over the cherries allowing the fruit to peek through in spots. Bake until the top and edges are lightly golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

5

Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Ingredients

 3 large eggs
 1 ½ cups sugar
 1 tbsp vanilla extract
 ½ cup Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil
 Finely grated zest & juice of 1 lemon
 3 cups all-purpose flour
 ¾ tsp baking soda
 ¾ tsp Durant Fleur de Sel Sea Salt
  cup polenta or cornmeal
 2 ½ cups fresh cherries, pitted (about 1 pound)
 crème fraîche, for topping

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 10-inch round cake pan with oil.

2

Mix eggs with sugar, EVOO, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.

3

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the egg mixture along with the polenta (or cornmeal) and mix until combined.

4

Pour two thirds of the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly distribute the cherries over the batter, covering it completely. Spoon the remaining batter over the cherries allowing the fruit to peek through in spots. Bake until the top and edges are lightly golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

5

Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Cherry-Olive Oil Polenta Cake / Chef Vitaly Paley