Cake:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour + more for flouring pan
1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted and then ground fine in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup fresh Midtown Olive Oil Whole Fused Lemon EVOO
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 & adjust rack to middle of the oven. Using lemon olive oil, grease and flour one 9" cake pan. Combine the eggs, sugar, lemon EVOO, vanilla and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk thoroughly to combine. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, whisking after each addition. Pour in to prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 min until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for five minutes in the pan and then gently run a knife around the side to loosen and invert on a rack to fully cool.
Fresh Strawberry Preserve Topping:
4 cups washed, hulled strawberries sliced thin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 cups washed, hull strawberries sliced thin
Combine the strawberries, sugar, zest and juice and a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes being careful that the contents do not boil over. Set aside and allow to thicken as it cools to room temperature.
Slice cake in half horizontally. Spread bottom layer of cake with 1/2 of preserves and place top layer of cake on top of preserves. Mix remaining preserves with 1-2 cups fresh strawberries and spread on top of cake. Put a dollop of whipped cream on each slice.