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–+ servings
A slice of lemon olive oil cake.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Nico Pallotta

CAKE

  • 2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (110 grams) extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar + 2 to 4 tablespoons for the lemon syrup
  • 2 large (2 large) eggs
  • 2 large (2 large) lemons the grated zest + set aside the juice for the syrup
  • ⅔ cup (160 grams) milk any, we use almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
  • 1½ tablespoons (1½ tablespoons) baking powder
  • 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt

FROSTING

  • ½ cup (½ cup) mascarpone cheese substitute cream cheese
  • ½ cup (½ cup) Greek yogurt substitute whipped cream
  • 4 tablespoons (4 tablespoons) honey or powdered sugar, you can add more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (10) amaretti cookies substitute another crunchy cookie

FOR THE CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line your cake pan with parchment paper.
    To a large bowl, add 2 large eggs, ¾ cup sugar, the grated zest of 2 large lemons, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt.
    Whisk with a hand mixer for 5 minutes or until foamy and creamy.
    Slowly pour in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil while whisking.
    Batter for lemon olive oil cake with wet ingredients.
  • Slowly add ⅔ cup milk, 2 cups all-purpose flour, and 1½ tablespoons baking powder and keep whisking until combined.
    Pour batter in the cake pan.
    Batter for lemon olive oil cake with flour.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
    Let cool down in the pan for 10 minutes then move it onto a cooling rack.
    Lemon olive oil cake after baking.

SYRUP AND FROSTING

  • While the cake bakes, prepare the lemon syrup and the frosting.
    SYRUP: In a small saucepan, warm the juice of the 2 lemons with 4 tablespoons of sugar until the sugar melts. Set aside to cool.
    FROSTING: In a mixing bowl, whisk ½ cup mascarpone cheese with ½ cup Greek yogurt, 4 tablespoons honey, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until creamy.
    Mascarpone cream for lemon olive oil cake.
  • To level the cake, cut off the very top part with a serrated knife (bread knife).
    With a spoon, pour the lemon syrup over the cake, trying to cover every inch. You can use all the syrup.
    Lemon olive oil cake after baking with the top cut off.
  • Top with a layer of frosting. Then garnish with crushed amaretti (crunchy almond cookies), lemon zest, and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
    Lemon olive oil cake with mascarpone cream and amaretti.
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