Grape and Toasted Walnut Olive Oil Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Scatter the walnut halves on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until deeply fragrant and turning golden. Let them cool completely on the sheet before roughly chopping into irregular pieces.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose-flour, baking-powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, crack the egg and add the white-sugar. Using a hand whisk or stand mixer, beat vigorously for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and falls in ribbons from the whisk.

With the mixer still running, slowly pour in the olive-oil in a thin stream, beating constantly until the batter looks smooth and glossy, almost like a thick mayonnaise.

Pour in the whole-milk and add the lemon zest. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined.

Sift the flour mixture directly over the wet ingredients. Using a wide spatula, fold from the bottom of the bowl upward in slow, deliberate strokes—stop as soon as you see the last streaks of flour disappearing. Overmixing will make the crumb dense.

Fold in the toasted walnut pieces, keeping some texture visible.

Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with a little olive-oil or butter, then pour in the batter and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Gently press the halved grape cut-side down into the batter in a decorative pattern, spacing them about 1 inch apart. They will sink slightly as the cake rises.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is deep golden, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The center should feel set, not wobbly.

Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack or serve directly from the pan. The grapes will have caramelised slightly on the bottom—if serving inverted, they make a beautiful topping.