A week or so ago an email arrived that piqued my attention, and appetite. It was a pitch for Valentine’s Day story, one that involved cake. Olive oil cake, to be exact.

I like to make olive oil cakes, and I order them often for dessert at restaurants. I’ve had some great ones in Italy and New York and Los Angeles, so I accepted the email’s kind offer to have one delivered to me.

Little House Confections is the bakery behind the item, named Bomb Ass Olive Oil Cake, and I’ll be a regular customer.

Once I opened the attractively wrapped box from Little House Confections, this is what I saw.

Moist and flavorful, dense and light in the mouth at the same time — such a pleasurable sensation— and not overly sweet. Cut a slice and the crumb keeps its shape and texture. My dessert fork’s tines accepted this cake ($42) in a wonderful manner … it was attractive on the plate as well.

Here are the ingredients, according to the baker: extra virgin olive oil, flour, freshly squeezed orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, sugar, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, and love. (Yes, it is always better if one bakes and cooks with love … ) Note: You can order a gluten-free version of this cake.

Liz Roth, the owner and founder of Little House Confections, began the enterprise in April 2020 as a charitable campaign to raise funds and awareness for Covenant House of California. Once people in the Los Angeles area began tasting Roth’s wares, which were made in her home kitchen, the clamoring began. Little House is now an ongoing business, and Roth and her team are still contributing a portion of the bakery’s profits to a local charity each month — consult the Little House Confection website for details.

Liz Roth has a hit on her hands. (Courtesy Little House Confections)

Roth began her baking journey in her mother’s kitchen as a youth, and a passion was born there. She enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in 2007, but had to undergo spinal surgery a few months later, which ended her studies. Interior design, her other passion, gained her talents when she left the culinary school, and Roth worked for Cliff Fong before opening Elizabeth Roth Home.

COVID-19’s arrival planted the idea in Roth’s head that took her back to the olive oil cake recipe she had perfected in her mother’s kitchen … and her charitable baking venture was born. Since then, Little House Confections has donated more than $25,000 to worthy organizations, and the cakes and other baked goods keep coming. (I’m looking forward to tasting Roth’s chocolate birthday cake.)

If you are in Los Angeles, I recommend that you order the Bomb Ass Olive Oil Cake for Valentine’s Day; unfortunately, Little House Confections does not yet ship its creations, but stay tuned.

The Laetitia Brut Cuvée seemed made to be quaffed with olive oil cake.

I had my first slice of the cake for dessert one evening last week, and paired it with two sparkling wines, a non-vintage brut cuvée from Laetitia Vineyard and Winery, and the 2016 Rouge from Frank Family Vineyards. I knew that both bottles would be ideal companions for the cake, and my dining companion agreed after we sampled them.

The Laetitia, hailing from the Arroyo Grande Valley AVA, is comprised of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc, and you can find it for $28 (or $22.40 if you join the Laetitia wine club). It’s Méthode Champenoise, and it represents great value. The fruit was harvested by hand, and was pressed whole-cluster. The brioche notes here are marvelous, and I think this wine deserves a place in anyone’s inventory.

If you want to pour a California sparkling wine at your table, this one, from Frank Family Vineyards, would be a great choice.

The Frank Family Rouge ($55) is a dramatic pour, in color and more. Its brilliant ruby tone is festive, rich, and inviting to the eye. It is 73 percent Pinot Noir and 27 percent Chardonnay. The acidity of this wine (Los Carneros AVA) appealed to me immensely, and I’ve added it to my “always have on hand” list. It was disgorged on April 26, 2020, after spending three years on its yeast. (Here’s a look at the people behind Frank Family Vineyards, a piece I wrote for PaperCity.)

I’m now inspired to make my version of olive oil cake, so check this space soon for the recipe and method.