Caramelized Pineapple and Olive Oil Cake… and a Short Camping Trip
As I mentioned on my last post, we were going to spend the weekend camping near Lake Okeechobee. The weather had been terrible all week with the usual summer afternoon thunderstorms. I wasn’t completely sure that camping was going to be a good idea but we decided to be adventurous and see what was going to happen.
We left on Friday after work. The skies were blue and scattered thunderstorms were forecasted for the weekend. We started driving west when I spotted some nasty looking clouds ahead of us. We could see lighting strike not too far from us and I started to really worry. Surely, a mile later, we were driving through the worst storm I have ever been through. Lighting, thunder, torrential rain, baby screaming in the back and we are towing a travel trailer. I was ready to turn around right then. This scenario lasted for about half an hour.
When we arrived at the campground, it was not what we had expected. We were hoping for some thick, Florida wilderness, but this seemed like a mobile home park right next to the highway. I couldn’t believe my eyes. The place looked abandoned. Not a soul. We tried to just forget about everything and headed for the pool. Rain started again. Ran for shelter and that’s where we spent the rest of the evening.
Saturday morning we had about an hour of pool fun but by mid morning the sky started to turn black again and I just couldn’t spend another afternoon and evening inside a trailer in a concrete campground. So we left and never got to enjoy the cake I had made for this trip but I did manage to take a couple of photos of my little boy and his beloved trucks.
This was a long story to tell you about this cake we never really got to enjoy while camping. It was an almond and olive oil sponge that I wanted to serve with grilled pineapple and a bit of cream. I love grilled fruit.
I took these photos before we left since I knew I wouldn’t be able to take decent photographs while camping. But not only that, we never ate it. When I made it at home, I caramelized the pineapple with a bit of demerara sugar. I was really looking forward to some grilled pineapple…
Olive Oil Sponge
Makes quarter sheetpan
3 eggs
110 grams sugar
1 Tbs lemon zest
100 grams olive oil (I used Arbequina)
90 grams whole milk
110 grams cake flour
10 grams baking powder
50 grams almond flour
Pineapple rectangles
Demerara sugar
Whip the eggs, lemon zest and sugar to thick, ribbon stage. Slowly stream in the olive oil and the milk. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and almond flour and mix only until combined.
Batter will be relatively thin. Pour the batter in sheetpan or individual molds and bake immediately in a 400F degree oven for about 10 minutes until slightly golden brown.
Once the cake has cooled, cut rectangles. Cut pineapple rectangles that are the same size as the cake. Place the pineapple on top of the cake, sprinkle demerara sugar on top and burn it with a blow torch.
What a bummer you did get to eat it while camping.
Oh I once had that happen to me, ended up at a camp ground that was like a trailer park! Televisions blaring and everything, ugh.
Your cake looks divine. Didn’t you get to eat it once you got home? Please tell me the cake didn’t go to waste!
I love the vanilla bean decorations, but am usually too cheap to use such a precious ingredient for esthetics (-;
Astrid- My little boy and I got to taste them while taking the photos but my husband didn’t. Don’t worry, it hasn’t gone to waste. Nothing in this house does! The vanilla bean is actually dried vanilla bean that I keep in my vanilla sugar jar so once I took the photos, it went back in there. Trust me, I am not wasting those!
Looks so delicious but sorry about the camping mishap!
Just found your blog and love it–even though I can’t eat anything with wheat, I bookmarked your wheat-free chocolate chip cookies and we’re going to try to make them today! Lovelovelove the photos and your writing is lovely. I am living vicariously through your delicious-looking posts!
Thanks for a beautiful blog!!
shame about the trip! The pictures with your sone are cute and still I am sure the cake tasted great – it sure looks good!
Oh no you’re camping trip was ruined that’s such a pity!!! But to be honest camping scares the bejesus out o me as there are bugs, I’d spend most of my time there screaming probably the big baby that I am!!!
The cake does look amazing though, was looking at a recipe this morning for sauteed bananas but never thought of grilling them with some sugar on them, sound delicious and must try it!
Oh…those look stunning!! Your family is soo lucky!! Sorry to hear that you couldn’t enjoy the trip as much as you had planned to; the weather can pretty much ruin everything if it wants…but I’m sure your family still enjoyed the cake after you returned, and your son looks happy enough in the photos! He’s beautiful!!
Lovely photos… your son is adorable. So sorry to hear that your trip got cut short, though. And I knew you’d make something amazing to take with you! Gorgeous cake!
Thank you too Aran, for your comment! I think while you were leaving a comment this morning, I was writing a post about you…please take a look-I
‘ve listed you on my blogroll so I’ll of course keep reading (and looking for some wheat free recipes!) soon!
Qué delicioso se ve este postre. Me encanta la piña, es una de mis frutas favoritas y además es muy versátil. Y ahora que lo pienso….no he puesto ninguna receta de piña en mi blog…tengo que ponerme las pilas!!!
Un saludo
Acampar é mesmo assim, ás vezes reserva-nos surpresas. Também já tive algumas bem desagradáveis. O bolo está divino, como aliás são todos os teus doces.
Sorry to hear about your camping mishap. The cake looks delicious though! I love grilled pineapple.
mmm, looks great. I could eat tones of these things – I love pineapple!
oh what a beautiful cake! just gorgeous. it’s making me hungry.
That sucks about the trip. As soon as I saw the rain I thought of you guys. I love grilled fruits of all kinds, we have been grilling peaches like crazy in between two rain showers here. Griled fruit on cake =comfort heaven!!
beautiful photos! isn’t it funny how trucks (or cars) can be so beloved by little boys? i used to be a preschool teacher (i had a classroom of two-year-olds) and if anything could occupy and satiate them, it was cars. and cookies.
Sorry about your trip – Florida in the summer can be tricky. It rained here all weekend. Your little boy is so adorable I could eat him up!
pues menudo plan!! Una pena de fin de semana… Aquí empezó estupendo y luego vino la galerna, e incluso el granizo… Todos refugiados en casa… Casi casi nos hacemos un chocolate con churros, ja, ja :)
P.S: tienes un hijo precioso!
Hola Aran!!
No se como lo haces pero de lo simple haces lo mejor, todo es tan apetecible…
Por lo que leo, el fin de semana lluvioso, pero seguro que el peque (que está precioso) se lo paso fenomenal….
El próximo si quieres te podías dar una vueltecita por aquí, que estamos hartos ya de tanto calor… en realidad estamos uniendo un verano con otro….
Besos,
Ana
I love the idea the idea and the look of the pineapple on top of the cake. It looks so summery and fresh!
Shame about the weather, never mind – the cake looks fabulous!
I’m so sorry to hear that the rain ruined your plans, sweetie!
And that is a beautiful cake. I love the idea of baking with olive oil!
Sorry that the weather spoiled your camping trip. Delicious cake!
Camping in never predictable, but always an adventure. That cake looks amazing!
Oh, so sorry about the camping trip. This recipe looks great though! I love roasted fruit too!
Beautiful! the combination sounds lovely! photographs extra special!
Sorry to hear about your camping trip. These look truly inspired though. I love olive oil cakes.
That’s Florida for ya! We sat on the tarmac in Ft Lauderdale for 2 hours because of storms on Sunday… good times…
The cake looks delicious!
What a sweet, gorgeous boy you have!
This dessert looks like luxury. I’ve never done an olive oil sheet, so I’m excited to see it here. My favorite is Arbequina and I love olive oil cakes.
Sorry to hear that you did not enjoy the cakes after all – I certainly enjoy the pictures.Very.Much.
Thanks!
Alexandra
It’s too bad about the trip. When things go wrong on a camping trip, it’s especially tough. That being said, the pictures seem to tell a different story. They’re gorgeous! Your little boy’s adorable and the cake looks delicious. I love the blog!
400 degress? that is hotter than the normal domestic oven. Is it correct?
Vi Vian- 400 F which is about 190C.
thank you very much. Will definitely try this :)
Aran, is there any other way to caramelise the pineapples other than using the blow torch? Also ,w hen you cut them into rectangles, u don’t discard the middle hard portion of the pineapple …do you? Because here in Kerala, people say that it causes irritation on your tongue.