A Visit to Mission Olive Oil
“And then came the holidays—Natividad, the Nativity; Nacimiente, the Birth; Soledad, the Solitude.
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
With an abundance of press swirling around the authenticity of the olive oil available for purchase at our grocery stores I was prompted to learn more about olive oil produced locally. Mission Olive Oil is located in Soledad, California, a half hour drive south from Salinas. Athena and I drove right past the olive grove on the way to Lemovaro Ranch just a few weeks earlier. We met Maria Maldonado, who with her husband own Mission Olive Oil and manage the olive grove which is located on the property of Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad, or Mission Soledad. A portion of the olive harvest is returned to the Diocese of Monterey for church sacraments, while the balance is bottled for Mission Olive Oil. Once harvested, the olives are transported to Templeton for pressing and bottling. The grove of Mission Olive trees is harvested late season, usually in November which insures a smooth buttery oil suitable for cooking or baking. This small grove of Mission Olives produces a limited amount of olive oil that is sold in local grocery stores and specialty stores or directly on-line from Mission Olive Oil.
The olive groves of the California missions have an fascinating history. Originally planted in the late 1700s, these groves were integral to the way of life in the original California missions. As the missions fell into disrepair, so did the olive groves. The Mission Olive variety of olive was all but lost until the original grove for Mission La Purisima Conception was located. Restoration of the California Mission’s olive groves is an ongoing effort with Mission Soledad being the first to replant a grove of the authentic Mission Olive variety in 2001.
Essentials
I am very fond of citrus desserts and wanted to develop a cake with grapefruit using the fruity smooth Mission Olive Oil. I was not disappointed, the cake was as rich and dense as a traditional pound cake, with a hint of citrus from the grapefruit. I did not miss the butter, nor did we taste the olive oil. My family actually thought I used butter in the recipe! Slice this cake thinly, a small piece is rich and satisfying. I used an aluminum tube pan (7 1/2” across and 4”deep) that I found at our local restaurant supply store. A bakery that had gone out of business sold all their baking pans back to the store and I was able to pick through the boxes and take a few home for a great price. I am happy to report after greasing and flouring the pan, the cake released from the upcycled pan without sticking. I so like the exterior patina of the cake pan, I didn’t try to scrub it all away.
| Ingredients | |
| 2 1/4 C (340 g) | flour |
| 1/2 C (90 g) | semolina flour (if not available use AP flour) |
| 2 t | baking powder |
| 1/2 t | salt |
| 8 oz | low-fat cream cheese, room temperature |
| 1 1/2 C (375 g) | sugar |
| 2/3 C (6 oz) | extra virgin olive oil |
| 3 | eggs, room temperature |
| 2 T | grapefruit zest |
| 1/2 C (4 oz) | freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (I used 2 ruby red grapefruits) |
| 3/4 C (90g) | chopped walnuts |
| For the glaze | |
| 1 C (100 g) | powdered or confectioners sugar |
| 2–3 T | grapefruit juice |
| 10–12 | walnut halves, optional |
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour the cake pan, set aside.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: Into a medium size mixing bowl sift or shake through a large sieve flour(s), baking powder, salt and set aside.
- Prepare the cake batter: In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the cream cheese until smooth and no lumps are visible. Add the sugar, mixing until thoroughly combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the olive oil. Mix until thoroughly combined. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl to insure all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Add the eggs one a time until the wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Mix in the zest and the grapefruit juice. When thoroughly combined add the dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mixer bowl again. Gently fold in the walnuts.
- Baking the cake: Bake for 50-60 minutes. My cake was done in 55 minutes. When done, a cake tester will come out clean and the cake will have pulled away from the sides of the pan and be golden brown around the edges. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Release the cake from the pan, by running a kitchen knife around the edge of the cake. Then invert the cake onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- To finish: Make a glaze for the cake by mixing the grapefruit juice into the powdered sugar. Start with a tablespoon of juice, adding just enough to make a thin glaze that will lightly coat the back of a spoon. Place the cooling rack with the cake over a sheet pan or piece of parchment then drizzle the glaze over the cake. Before the glaze dries place walnut halves on top on top cake.
Although I am the lucky recipient of a bottle of Mission Olive Oil this is not a sponsored post and the recipe and opinions are my own.
For a second, I thought I was in Italy! But then, I read California missions.
Well, this cake is mouthwatering and very pretty. I’d be thrilled to have it with a cup of coffee. Have a great week, my dear Deb!
Thank you for the gracious comment Denise! The California Missions are indeed a bit of Europe brought to the new frontier.
This looks so rustic and fulfilling!
Thanks Shirley! It is a lovely cake.
I love olive oil cakes – moist, rich, fragrant. But most of all, I love olive oil drizzled over the finest vanilla ice cream ever, served with a pinch of salt and some orange zest. Heaven!!!! Find me an olive grove, sniff sniff
I have yet to try olive oil over ice cream, but I have heard it is divine. A brilliant reason to make vanilla ice cream!
This cake looks delicious. Olive I love your photographs, I have childhood
Memories of olive trees in my backyard but how wonderful it would be tovisit one as beautiful as the one u captured.
Although the olive grove is a thirty minute drive from home, we felt as if we had traveled back in time. The early history of California was now the foundation of our visit to learn about local olive oil, magical!
What a lovely excursion! (and a lovely cake). I quite like the use of grapefruit zest. I think the nuttiness of the walnuts must temper the flavors quite shrewdly. Well done!
Thank you for your lovely comments! The trip to the Olive Grove at Misson Soledad was great fun. The cake recipe is a delight, with a touch of grapefruit sparkle.
What a great find of a pan and great use for it! The cake looks delicious especially with the glaze and those walnuts on top.
The cake recipe is a favorite. Although I usually use lemon as the citrus component, the grapefruit was delightful paired with the walnuts.
The missions look like they’re worth a visit and this cake definitely looks like it’s worth trying. Beautiful.
It was fascinating to revisit such a historic site and learn of the restored olive grove. But discovering that Olive Oi is suited for both baking and cooking was a delight!
Such beautiful photos Deb! It looks like such a beautiful place. I love your grapefruit cake too. Citrus are just so wonderfully versatile aren’t they?
So glad you enjoyed the photos Jennifer! And yes I adore citrus, just my favorite in desserts.
What a tall gorgeous cake! How fun to pick up some restaurant quality pans at a discount.
The upcycled pans have been great fun! I do wonder what happened to the bakery that closed and hope everything worked out for the best.
Hello Deborah,
Thank you so much for sharing your blog with us. My husband and I have been involved in the Mission Olive group that you referenced for 12 years and attended the dedication of the olive grove in Soledad with the rest of our organization. It was great to see your photos of the Mission and the beautiful “grown up” olive trees! I will pass this on the our other members.
Thank you also for including our web page link. We have just recently retired MOPREP after we’ve completed our “mission” of replanting the central and northern California Missions that wanted these trees replanted. We no longer have access to the mother grove near Mission LaPurisima to retrieve cuttings.
On a personal note, I found your blog very interesting and a fun read. The nutella recipe is my newest must try find, it sounds and looks great! I also spent a lot of time with your Beirut recipes link looking at the videos of dishes I’m very familiar with. How fun that was :-)).
Keep up the good work with…
Best Regards,
Barbara
Barbara thank you sharing your knowledge and story of the Misson Olives and Soledad Mission. I am pleased you like my blog and hope you very much enjoy the Nutella recipe!
One of my fave trips to date because of the fascinating backstory. The cake looks lovely!
It really is amazing! And so is Mission Olive Oil, it is so buttery and smooth the cake was divine.
Hi Deb, the photos of the mission are fabulous, so evocative! An dI’m loving the recipe, pink grapefruit are a favourite of mine. I have a cake tin that has a middle (I’ve used it for chocolate cake) but is smaller, I presumer it woul dbe ok for this cake.
Hi Claire, So happy you liked our trip to Mission Soledad! The cake can be baked in a smaller pan; fill whatever pan you choose 2/3 full. The baking time will need to be shortened and you will have leftover batter for another small pan. Enjoy!
Thanks Deb, I’ve bookmarked it, looking forward to trying it out.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, we certainly did. Any citrus would pair nicely with the walnuts, olive oil and cream cheese. I will be trying the recipe with blood oranges next. Citrus is my favorite!