I know what you’re thinking – baking a cake in the middle of summer will heat up the kitchen too much. That’s where Tempe Public Market Cafe Olive Oil Cake comes in. You only have to bake it for 15 minutes at 350 degrees, so the heat factor is minimal.

The recipe uses Hayden Mills Sonoran wheat flour, which is an important element, says Tempe Public Market’s pastry chef, L.T. Smith. “If you use anything else, the cake will be a lot drier,” he says.

Garnish with fresh berries, salted caramel or your favorite ice cream in place of the cardamom whipped cream and you’ve created the perfect finish for a mid-summer’s meal.

Tempe Public Market Olive Oil Cake

Yield: 8 mini cakes

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup orange zest
½ cup orange juice
2 cups Sonoran wheat flour (Hayden Mills)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 4-inch mini cake pans (Smith uses a muffin top tin).
• Zest and juice oranges.
• Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• Whisk together sugar and eggs until light in color.
• Mix orange juice, zest, vanilla and oil.
• Stream in oil and orange mixture while whisking.
• Add half the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
• Add remaining dry ingredients and mix to combine.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes and test with toothpick to see if it’s done.

Pistachio Orgeat

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. pistachios, roughly chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ cups hot water
½ tsp. orange extract
¼ oz. vanilla paste
5 tbsp. + 1 tsp. vodka

Preparation

• Bring water and sugar to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for three minutes.
• Add nuts, mix and simmer for ten minutes, stirring often.
• Remove from heat and cool for one hour.
• Stir in vodka, orange and vanilla. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the syrup and nuts separately.

Cardamom Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream, cold
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
¼ tsp. ground cardamom

Preparation

• In a chilled bowl, add heavy cream, sugar and cardamom
• Whisk vigorously to desired stiffness.

To plate

Lay cake on desired plate. Spoon pistachio orgeat on top of cake, followed by whipped cream and garnishes.