Lemon Olive Oil Cake

by Vicki Scott

half lemonIt’s winter in California, which means it’s time for citrus! While many plants in our Bay Area gardens are sleeping, these magical trees are bursting with fruit, their branches heavy with bright yellow, orange, and green juiciness, just begging to be picked.

Whenever I have extra lemons, I love making this deliciously different cake, which delights my family and friends with its combination of rich olive oil and tangy citrus. I first discovered this cake through Dr. Andrew Weil, who noted the benefits of limonins – healthful compounds found in most citrus. I was also intrigued by the use of olive oil, which also has many health benefits. I’ve since adapted this go-to recipe (below) from Bowl of Delicious, which uses fewer eggs and less sugar but gets rave reviews.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • the juice and zest of 3 lemons
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour

Steps

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F and move the oven rack to the top third of the oven.
  • Line a 9-inch circular cake pan with parchment paper and grease generously with olive oil, under and over the parchment paper and up the sides of the pan.
  • In a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk to combine
  • In a separate larger bowl, gently hand-whisk the remaining ingredients together until combined (olive oil, lemon juice and zest, sugar, eggs, yogurt, salt).
  • Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. No need to overdo it.
  • Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Place the cake pan on a rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the cake pan to loosen it, and then flip onto a cutting board or plate to remove, then flip back over onto the serving dish.

Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream. Add fresh strawberries or raspberries, if you really want to impress. YUM! 😋