Olive cake

This olive cake is a popular offering at aperos (drinks with nibbles) in southwest France. Known as cake aux olives, it is made from olive oil-laden batter packed full of jambon, cheese, whole almonds and copious amounts of pitted olives, cooked in a loaf tin and served warm. In France anything baked in a loaf tin, be it sweet or savoury, is called a cake, not a gateau.

Ingredients

2 cups	Flour
4	Eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup	Olive oil, choose a quality one; virgin olive oil is ideal here (Main)
1 Tbsp	Baking powder
½ cup	Dry white wine
1 cup	Olives, pitted, use any type (Main)
1 cup	Emmental cheese, or use edam cheese, shredded or grated (Main)
½ cup	Toasted almonds, whole; use up to ¾ cup
2 slices	Jambon, use up to 3 slices as desired, or use diced proscuitto (Main)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 21 x 11 cm loaf tin or one of similar size. Alternatively, two smaller tins can be used.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat the eggs and oil together and slowly pour into the well, stirring with a wooden spoon to make a thick batter. In a jug, stir the baking powder and white wine together until the powder is dissolved, and stir into the batter.
3. Add the olives, cheese, almonds and jambon along with a good seasoning of pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir only until mixed. Transfer to the prepared loaf tin.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden, the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on to a cake rack.