Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, for topping
For the Thyme-Honey Syrup
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt until evenly combined with no lumps.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until light and frothy, about 1 minute. Add the honey, olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and emulsified — it should look glossy and smell like a citrus grove. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. The batter will be thick and golden. Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to crush them.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Scatter the sliced almonds evenly over the surface — they will toast as the cake bakes and turn a beautiful deep gold. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The kitchen should smell warmly of toasted almonds and orange. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.
Make the Thyme-Honey Syrup
- While the cake bakes, combine the orange juice, honey, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the honey dissolves, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble softly for 5 to 7 minutes, until the syrup has reduced by about a third and coats the back of a spoon. It will smell floral and herby, like a sun-warmed garden. Remove from heat and discard the thyme sprigs.
Soak and Serve
- While the cake is still warm, use a skewer or fork to poke about 20 holes all over the top. Slowly spoon the warm thyme-honey syrup over the cake, letting each spoonful absorb before adding the next. You will see the syrup sink into the holes and the surface will turn glossy and slightly sticky.
- Let the cake sit for at least 15 minutes to fully absorb the syrup. Serve at room temperature, topped with extra fresh blueberries and a drizzle of honey if you like. The texture should be dense and moist — almost like a pudding cake — with a delicate crunch from the toasted almonds on top.