lemon olive oil cake with polenta & rosemary

We are currently living through some crazy, uncertain, difficult, and stressful times. I don’t know about you, but in times of uncertainty, I find peace in the ritual of baking. I love the routine of it all, and the fact that some things do remain constant, even when so much else is unknown. We are lucky enough to have an abundance of lemons on our tree right now, so I took the opportunity to pick a bucket full. We use lemons pretty regularly, but even so, had more than we knew what to do with. It had been quite a while since I’d made an olive oil cake, but I do find them to be super comforting, and the perfect thing to nosh on while spending all this extra time at home, so it seemed like the perfect excuse! Plus, fresh citrus (zest & juice!) takes it to a whole other level. Using a top-notch quality olive oil for this as opposed to your typical store-bought variety is of the utmost importance here. I recommend Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Central Coast Family Farm for its crisp, pure olive flavor, which will keep your cake nice and moist. This olive oil cake is also entirely gluten-free, if that’s your thing- I find the hearty flavors and textures of almond flour and polenta complement the dense cake nicely. I also prefer to keep the cake itself not too sweet, as I typically serve it with assorted sweet toppings (like candied lemon peels, lemon marmalade & whipped cream) to balance things out. This baby will stay fresh wrapped in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, but you may also store it in the fridge if you prefer. It’s equally delicious at room temperature with a dollop of honey sweetened greek yogurt for breakfast as it is warmed in the oven and served with ice cream for dessert! You can bake this in a simple 8” cake pan, or use a springform pan for easy release of the sides! Whichever way you go about it, I hope that it brings you joy during this time. Stay safe, y’all!

Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Polenta & Rosemary:

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 1 cup coarse ground polenta

  • 1 tsp baking power

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped

  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1/3 cup cane sugar

  • 3 large eggs

  • 4 lemons, zested & juiced

  • 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

  • powdered sugar, candied lemon peels & fresh rosemary sprigs, for topping

  • lemon curd & whipped mascarpone, yogurt, or ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8” round cake pan, line with parchment paper, and grease the paper as well. In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, polenta, baking powder, rosemary, and salt, then set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, sugar, eggs, lemon juice & zest, and vanilla/almond extract until smooth. You may alternatively use a stand mixer if desired. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan, making sure it’s level and evenly distributed. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, and then flip out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust cake with powdered sugar and top with candied lemon peels and fresh rosemary. Serve with a heaping dollop of lemon curd or marmalade, and maybe some ice cream or whipped mascarpone as well. Enjoy!

*adapted from Orange Polenta Cake from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook

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turmeric rye banana bread

Honestly, who doesn’t love a good banana bread?? I feel like it’s one of life’s simple, but oh so delicious pleasures, and always nice to have on hand. It can be made as healthy or as decadent as you want, but I tend to love the heartier loaves chock full of good-for-you ingredients like whole grains, nuts, and seeds. My husband and I have been on a bit of a banana bread kick, and he recently whipped up such a unique & tasty version, I just had to share. Fresh ground turmeric really shines through in both flavor and appearance, giving this moist loaf a beautiful golden hue, and rye flour lends a hearty, but not overpowering hand. The pecans, hemp hearts, and chia seeds add a lovely texture, and the raw honey creates just the right amount of sweetness. It’s damn near perfect on its own, but lightly toasted with a pat of butter (or carrot cake jam, as pictured above), and it’s absolute heaven!

Turmeric Rye Banana Bread:

  • 7 oz whole wheat flour

  • 3 oz rye flour

  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 4 oz butter, melted

  • 4 oz raw honey

  • 2 large eggs

  • 4 extra ripe bananas (2 mashed, 1 chunky, 1 sliced)

  • 4 oz almond (or other non-dairy) milk

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted & chopped

  • 1/4 cup hemp hearts

  • 1/4 cup chia seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift both flours, baking soda, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the butter and honey together until smooth. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, almond and vanilla extract to the butter mixture until well combined. Then add in the chunky banana pieces as well. Fold in the flour mixture, then gently add the pecans, hemp hearts, and chia seeds. Grease a loaf tin, and pour in the batter, smoothing and evening out if necessary. Top with reserved sliced bananas. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown and bananas are lightly caramelized. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

*Adapted from Banana Bread from BBC.

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salty nutty cereal cookies

Who doesn’t love holiday baking? I’m all about a cookie exchange, and these salty & sweet ones are sure to be a crowd pleaser. They don’t necessarily scream holidays, per se, but I think they fit in perfectly with a platter of otherwise festive cookies. And they’re super delicious, so who really cares? My mom has been baking up batch after batch of them this past week, and I have to say, I’m a huge fan. I love a sweet & salty flavor combo, and the almond flour & pecans lend the perfect amount of nutty goodness. Feel free to use a simple flakey cereal of your choice, or mix it up with a crunchy granola! You could even make them gluten-free by subbing in your fave GF flour for the all-purpose. These babies are super versatile, so have fun with it, and enjoy! Happy holidays!

Salty Nutty Cereal Cookies:

  • 3/4 cup coconut oil or unsalted butter

  • 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup almond flour

  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, toasted

  • 2 cups flakey or crispy cereal (your choice!)

  • 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more for topping

  • pecan halves, for topping

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread oats on a cookie sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Beat coconut oil, brown sugar & maple syrup together on a medium speed until well incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until fluffy, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, stir together flours, oats, baking soda & salt. Slowly add to the butter egg mixture. Add cereal and mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for at least 4 hours (overnight is better, but feel free to bake off a few right away too!). Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Measure out heaping tablespoon-sized balls and spread evenly on cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies a bit with your fingers, top with a pecan half and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. They will continue to harden a bit post-baking, so it’s okay if they look a tad underdone. Cool on cooling rack and enjoy!

*Adapted from Salted Oatmeal Corn Flake Cookies by sweetish.co.

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homestyle apple plum crisp

Apple crisp (or crumble, whatever you want to call it) is one of those good ‘ol classic desserts that always hits the spot. I love it come fall and winter, served warm with spicy notes of cinnamon and streusel topping. It’s super tasty alone, but even better topped with some vanilla bean gelato! Some apples, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady & Fuji, are better for eating thanks to their crisp, sweet bite. Others, like Macintosh & Braeburn, are better for cooking, and get nicely stewed in a crisp. I like using a variety of apples for layers of flavor and texture that can’t be beat! This time I also decided to throw in some gorgeous, seasonal plums that I had on hand. Perfect combo! Don’t forget about crisps and crumbles during spring and summer- by switching up the fruit, you can enjoy a delicious bowl of goodness year-round!

Homestyle Apple Plum Crisp:

Fruit Filling:

  • 2 pounds apples (I like any combo of Macintosh, Granny Smith, Cortland, Braeburn & Fuji)

  • 1 pound plums

  • 1 lemon, zested & juiced

  • 1/3 cup cane sugar

  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

Crumble Topping:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats

  • 1 cup pecans, chopped

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

  • vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 F, and butter a large baking dish (9x13 or 2 qt oval). Peel, core & cut apples into 1/4-inch slices, and place into a large bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch, and mix to combine. Pour apples into baking dish.

For the topping, add the flour, oats, pecans, cinnamon, salt, and sugars in a large bowl and stir well with a wooden spoon. Work the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until evenly distributed (you may also use a stand mixer if you prefer). Spread the streusel topping mixture evenly over the apples. Bake the crisp in the dish on a baking sheet on the center oven rack until the topping is crunchy and the apples are bubbling, about 55-60 minutes. Best served warm, topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

*Adapted from Sit & Stay Awhile Apple Crisp by Joy the Baker and Old-Fashioned Apple Crisp by Ina Garten.

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