Avocado Oil Cake with Fresh Berry Compote

Avocare - Maite Gomez-Rejón
Aug 6, 2016
2 min read

Blueberries are indigenous to North America and have deep roots in the United States’ history. Native Americans developed the first blueberry baked goods, which they called Sautauthig, a simple pudding made with blueberries, cracked corn and water.

A shrubby, prickly plant belonging to the rose family, raspberries are thought to have originated in Eastern Asia. In ancient Greece they were associated with fertility. Legend has it that the berries were once white but when Zeus’s nursemaid, Ida, pricked her finger on a thorn it stained them red and they have remained so ever since.

Strawberries were the favorite fruit of the French court. Louis XIV held a poetry contests on the topic of the fruit and Marie Antoinette’s favorite dessert was a bowl of strawberries with whipped cream.

For the cake: 3 large eggs 1 ½ cups sugar ¾ cup AVOCARE Extra Virgin Avocado Oil + more for greasing/drizzling ¼ cup milk 2 teaspoons orange zest 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

For the fresh berry compote: 1 pound mixed fresh blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries, about 4 cups ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon orange zest ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with avocado oil. Beat eggs with sugar, avocado oil, milk, orange zest and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually beat dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cool before inverting onto a platter.

Prepare the compote. In a medium saucepan, combine the berries, sugar, water and orange zest. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape its seeds into the fruit mixture. Bring to a simmer until the berries are softened and the sugar is dissolved, about 8 minutes. Slice the cake, drizzle slightly with avocado oil, top with the warm compote, dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes one 9-inch cake