This one layer almond olive oil cake is moist, flavorfu, and topped with a brown butter glaze and sliced almonds. Light, simple to make, and elegant for any occasion.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) with a rack in the center position. Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch cake pan. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar aggressively for 30 to 45 seconds or until frothy. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously with your other hand to combine them evenly. Add the orange juice (or milk, if substituting), vanilla extract, almond extract, and zest. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, whisking until just combined. Scrape down the bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly.
Transfer the batter to the greased cake pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes mostly clean, with some moist crumbs attached.
Allow cake to cool in the pan on rack for 10 minutes before removing. Let the cake cool completely on a rack.
Prepare Brown Butter Glaze: Heat the butter in a small saucepan or sauté pan over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it is golden brown in color. Remove from the heat immediately - it will continue to darken off the heat. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and milk. Add the cooled brown butter and a few drops of fresh lemon juice, to taste. Stir in the toasted, sliced almonds.
Place the cooled cake on a rack over a sheet of wax paper for easy clean up. Pour and spread the glaze evenly on top of the cake, allowing it to drizzle over the sides. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
Adapted slightly from Gina De Palma via Serious Eats.