Meyer Lemon And Olive Oil Cake Recipe

A tasty olive oil cake is just as delicious as its butter-laden cousin but without the need for creaming in a stand mixer. With a very simple method of just adding dry ingredients into wet, this moist and tender cake is simple but delightfully elegant. For this cake, we chose to add a heavy dose of Meyer lemon, one of the best things at the farmer's market in the winter. 

"While the Meyer lemons are only available late winter and into early spring, you can easily make this recipe with whatever type of lemons you can find so you can serve this cake for 4th of July or any other summer holiday," says recipe developer Taylor Murray. Meyer lemons are a variety of lemon with a smooth skin and a very aromatic scent and flavor, which makes them great in lemon recipes where the citrus flavor really wants to shine. Paired alongside the olive oil in this cake, the lemon flavor really shines, and just one slice will have you dreaming of warmer days to soon come.

First, gather your ingredients. This recipe uses a combination of regular all-purpose flour and almond flour to enhance the texture. Baking powder and soda add lift, while salt enhances flavor. Milk, eggs, and sugar are typical cake ingredients, but this recipe also calls for olive oil and fragrant Meyer lemons. "Choose a nice olive oil for this recipe, like some kind of extra virgin Italian olive oil, if you can swing it. The flavor really comes through and you'll want something that tastes amazing," says Murray. A final glaze for the cake comes together with just some powdered sugar and some extra lemon juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set the dry ingredients aside for just a moment.

Zest and juice three of the Meyer lemons. In a medium bowl, rub together sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until fully incorporated. This helps the natural oils in the zest infuse into the sugar so the flavor permeates every bite.

In another bowl, whisk together olive oil, milk, eggs, and juice of three lemons until combined.

Add the sugar mixture to the wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients. Gently whisk to combine the two, forming a cohesive cake batter.

Grab a 9-inch cake pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper. Spray liberally with baking spray. Pour the batter into the pan then bake until golden brown and center springs back when touched, about 45 minutes. Set aside and let cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, juice the remaining two lemons, reserving the zest for another purpose (like candying). Whisk the powdered sugar with the juice. If the glaze is too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it's too stiff, add a teaspoon or so of water to thin. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and let set for at least an hour before optionally garnishing with candied zest. Serve immediately, or cover at room temperature up to three days.