Strawberry Balsamic and Olive Oil Breakfast Cake

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray an 8-inch cake pan with olive oil spray. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper (this is an important step -- it will help your cake release from the pan after baking without disturbing the arrangement of your strawberries). Spray again with olive oil.
3. Remove stems and slice strawberries vertically. Arrange them in a spiral, starting with the outside layer and overlapping slightly at the bottom of the cake pan.
4. Combine the brown sugar, golden balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and honey in a stainless steel pan and whisk to emulsify. Bring to a boil and stir frequently until thickened enough that it drips more slowly from your stirring spoon. Remove from heat and pour carefully over the arranged strawberries.
5. To make the cake batter, start by whisking together in one bowl the sugar, buttermilk, vinegar, and eggs.
6. In another bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients in three stages, stirring to incorporate each time.
8. Add your olive oil in 3 stages, folding and stirring to incorporate each time.
9. Slowly and carefully pour the batter over the strawberries. Don't pour too rapidly, or you'll displace your carefully-arranged spiral.
10. Bake for approximately an hour. The cake is done when the top is golden and it has pulled away slightly from the edges of the pan.
11. Cool for 10 minutes, and then run a knife between the cake and the pan to make sure it is completely loosened.
12. Put a flat plate atop the pan, and then, using potholders to protect your hands, quickly flip the cake while holding the plate tightly to the pan.
13. Slowly lift the pan, and the cake will be sitting, covered in parchment paper, on the plate. Peel off the parchment paper and be greeted by a beautiful spiral of sweet-tart fruit atop a golden cake.