The possessive pronoun of cake
If there’s one thing this hot weather has going for it, it’s that you start to notice the garden suddenly springing to life. This is especially remarkable (and thrilling) as I’m not known for my gardening prowess. So far this season, our little balcony has supplied us with a selection of fresh herbs and a decent crop of tomatoes from two potted plants. I have been picking them only when required, to preserve their incredibly fresh and sweet taste from pot to plate. In fact, this crop has been so sweet that I decided I should also make a dessert out of them.
A batch of caramelised baby tomato and black olive tea cakes was the end result.
The inclusion of olives in these cakes stems from my renewed interest in the flavours of black olives and olive oil. Strangely enough, while I have often cooked with olive oil in the past, it’s only been recently that I’ve started to fully appreciate the beauty of a good quality extra virgin olive oil. The use of olives and olive oil in desserts aren’t a new thing either. I especially like black olives for their salty/briny flavour, which works well in tempering the sugar levels of a dish. Olives pair beautifully with citrus, pine nuts, tomatoes, strawberries, white chocolate, basil and fresh cheese.
This is exactly my kind of cake. Despite being slightly unusual, you could argue that it’s in keeping with classic flavours. Continuing with the Summer theme, I served the cakes with dollops of fresh thick yogurt but there’s no reason why these can’t also be served with ice-cream or whipped vanilla cream, especially if you tend towards the sweeter spectrum of things.
If the garden continues to prove fruitful, I certainly forsee more tomato-themed treats in the near future.
Tags: black olive, buckwheat, olive oil, teacake, tomato, yogurt
sara said,
December 7, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
Oooh, these look totally fantastic! Yum.
courtney aka glamah said,
December 7, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
Now I never would have thought to use tomatoes in dessert. But these tea cakes are delightful.
Rosa said,
December 7, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
Great cakes! Very original!
Cheers,
Rosa
Asha@FSK said,
December 7, 2009 @ 3:42 pm
lovely!
)))
i wish I had a green thumb.. the sturdiest herbs die on me..LOL.. in India now visiting family and am so thrilled to be eating vegetables from the garden
am gonna try this cake when i get back, with cherry tomatoes from the grocer
Frombecca said,
December 7, 2009 @ 4:03 pm
Gorgeous post! So true, olive oil in baking is not new. Adore your extropolation to add the black olives.
Flavour just about jumps off the screen as usual …
now to try some myself …
frogpondsrock said,
December 7, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
Oh Yum. Now that is an interesting combination that sounds tempting. It is way too early here for our tomatoes. I only planted them in the second week of November to avoid the chance of a late frost. When it is harvest time I think I will make some. Thankyou for the idea.
cakebrain said,
December 7, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
wha! It’s threatening to snow in Vancouver and you tell me it’s hot outside? The tomatoes look so pretty and remind me of summer *sigh*
I’ll just have to live vicariously through your blog. What a neat way to use tomatoes and olives!
It’s currently 1degreeC outside and chilly to the bone.
Simon said,
December 7, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
So this is a sweet cake rather than a savoury one?
Looks really nice. Never would have thought to use tomatoes in a dessert. Though I guess they are technically fruits. Would love to see how future incarnations of tomato based desserts turn out
Vanille said,
December 7, 2009 @ 5:17 pm
Oh, that’s so tempting and original !
Arwen from Hoglet K said,
December 7, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
Doesn’t quite sound like dessert, but does sound delicious! It’s awesome that your balcony garden is so productive.
the caked crusader said,
December 7, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
seems funny to hear you talking about summertime when it’s so cold and grey here!
Your little cakes are beautiful and I’m intrigued by the addition of olives
Julia @ Mélanger said,
December 7, 2009 @ 9:02 pm
Anything outside here is basically burnt to a crisp. So glad that you have a gorgeous crop of tomatoes and herbs to take you through the summer.
What a great idea for a little cake! They sound beautiful, and look so delicious.
FFichiban said,
December 7, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
Oohh tomatoes in a dessert sound very interesting especially if they are caramelized! Hee hee hopefully your garden will thrive cos I want to see more!
Trissa said,
December 7, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
Ahh Y – that looks gorgeous – beautiful pictures, beautiful idea to make a tomato and olive tea cake. Recipe please!
shaz said,
December 7, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
Beautiful as usual Y. What an interesting combo, sounds delightful. Wow, your tomatoes are fast, mine are still green! Hope to get some before the possums get to them
Caitlin said,
December 8, 2009 @ 12:40 am
How fun! I always forget how much I love the briney-ness of olives, and pairing them with super-sweet tomatoes sounds wonderful. None-too-sweet desserts are something I need to try my hand at a bit more, methinks. Oh, and *jealous*jealous*jealous* of your tomatoes. I miss them already, here in the northern hemisphere
Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella said,
December 8, 2009 @ 1:04 am
Lovely styling! I can see tomato working but adding black olive is interesting
Haha I have such a black thumb but obviously you don’t!
Laura said,
December 8, 2009 @ 1:15 am
Every year I am really sad when the tomato season is over. I eat tomatoes every day in the summer, and lots of time just off the vine. I am happy to hear your balcony is supplying with lots of ingredients.
I had a “savory” dessert once that had black olives in it. Unfortunately it didn’t work at all, the cake was chocolate and the olives too strong tasting. Your cake sound totally yummy though.
CIAO!
Lauren said,
December 8, 2009 @ 1:50 am
Oh my goodness. Now I just wish it was summer for me too! These look fantastic – such great flavours =D.
lisa (dandysugar) said,
December 8, 2009 @ 3:19 am
This is a very original cake–I love savory cakes and tarts, etc. The tomato and olives make a fantastic combination. And what a beautiful bowl of tomatos!
ABowlOfMush said,
December 8, 2009 @ 4:28 am
These are so attractive, elegant and very delicious looking! I really love this idea.
Umy said,
December 8, 2009 @ 6:47 am
hye there Y!
never thot of the idea putting tomato into a cake.but those of yours seems so scrumptious enough that i’m hoping i could reach it thru this screen.alas~
haha..anyway,i bumped onto ur recipe of banana caramel n choc macarons.they were just so lovely with feets n domed tops.i’ve been reading all sorts of macarons recipe over the site n cant help to come back to urs again.tho all the ingredients at my hands, i’m very reluctant to start it with.it would be awesome if you could share your recipe n tips on making them.my bf cant get off me begging for it.would u please? it would really be helpful~
anna said,
December 8, 2009 @ 7:35 am
Aww, the tomatoes are so cute! The cakes sound unusual but I’d be up for trying them.
Krista said,
December 8, 2009 @ 10:34 am
How wonderfully creative!
I love the idea of the thick yogurt instead of ice cream or whipping cream. Cold, rich but not too sweet – love it! 
Manggy said,
December 8, 2009 @ 11:13 am
Oh! It’s a twist on that classic foccacia, lovely!
Jason Atherton of Maze has a recipe for black olive caramel I haven’t tried (still kind of chicken, and good olives are expensive!). I wonder if it’d be good drizzled on these…
felicia said,
December 8, 2009 @ 2:16 pm
THESE LOOK FANTASTIC!
love how the tomatoes gave the cake a flowery look
Christy said,
December 8, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
I don’t have a garden…:( nor a balcony either for that matter. I’m looking into getting a couple of wooden crates to keep some potted plants in, but am worried that creepy crawlies may find their way out of the box and into the living area. Eeeeekk!! Do you have any problems with those things?
I love black olives in cakes too! I made a fruit cake with bits of black olives in them the other day, and they were scrumptious! The recipe still needs a bit of tweaking, but I love how the black olives complemented the fruitiness of the cake. Kudos for introducing supposedly ’savoury’ ingredients into sweets! It’s definitely an avenue with limitless potential!
Jamie said,
December 8, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
Your cakes are lovely to look at and the flavors sound so intriguing. I’ve been seeing black olives used here and there lately and I’m getting the black olive bug. But what you have done sounds wonderful.
penny aka jeroxie said,
December 8, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
the tomatoes look awesome. I do not have anything in my garden this year coz of reno and I feel a little bear! And the tea cakes are so yummy. bookmarked!
Su-yin said,
December 9, 2009 @ 7:21 am
The flavours in this cake are so intriguing – I’m always on the lookout for savoury cakes (as it makes me believe that it is less fattening than say, a chocolate cake), and this looks and sounds amazing! Will have to try it one day.
How I wish it was summer here in London! I am very envious.
Mrs Ergül said,
December 9, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
I love vine tomatoes! How I wish I could grow some like you!
carmen said,
December 9, 2009 @ 11:09 pm
exotic cupcakes are so…luring!!
The Purple Foodie said,
December 10, 2009 @ 1:34 am
I am waiting for my tomatoes to grow! Just got leaves… however I was lucky enough to find some seasonal tomatoes at the local market. Can’t wait to make a lovely salad out of it. I would never think of using it in a cake, but this looks lovely!
Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said,
December 10, 2009 @ 4:18 am
How yummy! And what lovely photos too. I love eating fresh summer tomatoes with just a pinch of sugar or, alternatively, black pepper. These would suit my tastes perfectly.
Erika from The Pastry Chef At Home said,
December 10, 2009 @ 4:48 am
This is exactly my kind of cake as well – unusual, made with fresh ingredients, and served with a dollop of something creamy!
I had no idea olives paired well with strawberries. Thanks for teaching me something new
These little cakes are gorgeous.
ps: I’m in gloomy England at the moment and your talk of lovely summer weather is making me so jealous!
Danielle said,
December 10, 2009 @ 5:21 am
Your tomatoes are a beautiful virtual substitute for ours, which have long gone the way of fallen leaves and a cold winter. Those cakes look so pretty and I’m sure they were mighty tasty too!
Hannah said,
December 10, 2009 @ 2:08 pm
Your photos re so beautiful, they’re unreal. It seems as though I’m peering into a dreamland of perfect tomatoes and savory cakes… and your descriptions are so vivid, I can practically taste it all!
Eileen @ Passions to Pastry said,
December 11, 2009 @ 1:08 am
I am Jealous! Tomatoes! We just had our first major snowstorm of the season and there are no fresh garden tomatoes in the near future for me.
Cannelle Et Vanille said,
December 11, 2009 @ 7:52 am
they are gorgeous Y. i have tomato envy for sure!
deeba said,
December 12, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
What can I say…wow! This is wonderful stuff here Y! Intriguing & adventurous. BEE-YOO-TI-FUL styling, awesome post! LOVED IT!
grace said,
December 13, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
i love the look of those maters nestled into the top of your tasty cakes. what a great creation (and that’s coming from someone who was definitely not blessed with a green thumb!).
Cakelaw said,
December 14, 2009 @ 9:08 am
What a delicious savoury treat – perfect for the time of year.
Michelle said,
December 14, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
The light in these photos is just amazing. Amazing!
Ellie said,
December 14, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
Perfect cake to celebrate the summer! Loving the ingredients and beautiful photos as always!
mir said,
December 15, 2009 @ 8:44 am
Wow, those are some enviable looking tomatoes…oh and cakes too ofcourse
Forager said,
December 15, 2009 @ 11:34 am
Wow, you can cook and have a green thumb. I managed to kill our jasmine. Honestly, I thought those things grow like weeds. So you impress me again and again so I’ve passed on my “One Lovely Blog” award to you – please head over to my blog to collect it!
erin said,
December 17, 2009 @ 10:09 am
Oh, fresh tomatoes! It seems like a dream!
Sophie said,
December 17, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
MMMMMMM,….Y! These cakes look just adorable & ooh so georgous & tasty too!
Anita said,
December 17, 2009 @ 10:17 pm
Great flavours for the cake Y. They look beautiful.
Neel | Learn Food Photography said,
December 18, 2009 @ 6:45 am
I love your photographs! I love the way you compose them. For instance, the tomato picture in this post is so very well done – it is such a simple and elegant looking photograph and yet, it brings so much awesomeness in it.
It is specially interesting because I too have a D40 and seeing results from it, I am very very inspired.
Thank you for doing this. Keep posting I’ll be looking forward for the next post.
- Neel
zenchef said,
December 18, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
If you mention the word “summer” ONE more time i’m moving in with you. It’s freezing here! And i’ll eat those delicious-looking tomato/black olive tea cakes too. All of them!
Ana Powell said,
December 19, 2009 @ 7:52 am
Great and delicious idea.
I am taking your recipe with me, many thanks for sharing it.
Beautiful photos x
Y said,
December 19, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
Neel, hello to a fellow D40-er and thanks for the comment!
Christie @ Fig&Cherry said,
December 21, 2009 @ 9:59 am
I’m so jealous of your home-grown tomatoes!! I adore savoury cakes and this one sounds (and looks) wonderful.
Merry Xmas to you and B! xx
Tartelette said,
December 24, 2009 @ 6:53 am
I shall remember the combination once tomato season comes around.
Thip said,
December 24, 2009 @ 8:07 am
beautiful setup, y!
Sophie said,
December 30, 2009 @ 9:14 am
Super pretty, I’m impressed by this savory work of art!
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas–looks like you’ve been bakin’ up some tasty goods.
Thanks for askin’ about me
!
BTW, I wish I didn’t have to worry about zits (in reference to your most recent post–lol). This pregnancy has me broken out like crazzzzyyy!
Have a Happy New Year!
Lorna said,
January 4, 2010 @ 6:55 pm
What an intriguing idea for a dessert! I so wish I could taste one.
Annie said,
January 14, 2010 @ 8:28 am
beautiful olive tea cakes — can I have one? yummm