Olive Oil Cake With Tea-Poached Peaches

June 26, 2026

Amanda G. Collins

Recipe courtesy of Chef Katie Fair, executive pastry chef at Butcher & Bee, Redheaded
Stranger and Fancypants.

Ingredients

For the Olive Oil Cake:

½ cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

1 cup sifted cake flour

¾ cup good extra-virgin olive oil

4 egg whites

2 teaspoons salt

½ cup sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

For the Tea-Poached Peaches:

3–4 fresh peaches, sliced

2 cups water

½ cup honey

4 tea bags (chamomile, oolong, jasmine, black or green tea are all delicious with peaches)

4 teaspoons lemon juice

Preparation

1. To prepare cake, line an 8- or 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper and grease. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix on medium-high speed until pale, thick and increased in volume. (This is called the ribbon stage; if you lift the paddle from the mixture, it cascades like a ribbon back into the bowl.)
3. Decrease mixer speed to low. Slowly add flour to egg mixture, then slowly stream in olive oil. Transfer batter to a bowl and carefully fold in lemon zest by hand.
4. Beat egg whites and salt on high, adding remaining sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into cake batter in 2–3 additions.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is golden brown; check after 15 minutes, may take up to 30.
6. To poach peaches, heat water to boiling, add tea bags and let steep 3–4 minutes. Add honey and lemon and stir to dissolve. Pour the hot mixture over peaches to gently poach. Let sit for 30 minutes.
7. Slice cake and serve with peaches. Drizzle syrup on or around the cake. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.