Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Delicious Dessert

Olive Oil & Lemons, who would've thought this combination belongs in a cake?!?! Often thought to be a strictly savory ingredient, quality extra virgin olive oil has a silky texture and adds a subtle grassy flavor to baked goods. When you add fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest, it balances the olive oil’s richness in this simple yet elegant cake. These two ingredients have been best friends forever! This simple cake is bright and delicious on its own, but when topped with macerated berries, it's complete.

Tips & Tricks:

• Grease your  pan well

• Don’t skimp on the lemon zest, and you get at least 3 tbsp of juice from your lemons.

• Don’t over-mix your batter once you’ve added the flour 

• Use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for this cake. It will help intensify the flavor of the cake, so the olive oil is noticeable but not too overpowering. You will be surprised by the subtle fruity flavor produced by the olive oil plus the lemon. 

• Allow the cake to cool partially in the pan before attempting to release it

• Use the right pan: A 6-cup bundt pan has the same volume as a 9x1½- or 8x2-inch round pan

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups of flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ¾ tsp salt 

• 1 ¼ cups +2 tbsp of sugar

• 1/4 tsp of lemon zest

• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil(good quality)

• 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 cup of milk(room temperature)

• 3 eggs(room temperature)

• 2 tsp of vanilla extract 

• ¼ cup Powdered sugar for dusting 

Macerated berries: (optional)

• 1 cup of mixed berries(blackberries, strawberries, raspberries) 

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar 

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 

Note: Wash and dry berries thoroughly, place all ingredients in a bowl, mix, and allow them to stand while you make the cake.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease your pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, and sugar.

3. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk briefly to combine.

4. Sift together the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in a couple of batches. Try not to over-mix at this stage, you just want to combine everything until no clumps of dry flour remain.

5. Pour the batter evenly into the pan

6. Bake for 50-55 minutes. The cake should rise and start to turn a bit golden brown on the top. Note: ovens vary greatly and you may need to bake your cake longer to get it done in the center. I recommend laying a loose piece of foil over the top of your cake if yours seems to be getting very brown towards the end of cooking.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a baking rack.

8. When cool, dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired.