Lemony Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients

Lemony Olive Oil Cake

3 lemons

¾ cup (150g) sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, well shaken

¾ cup (180ml) olive oil

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or lemon juice

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Lemon Glaze

1 lemon

SNACKING CAKES

1 cup (100g) confectioners' sugar

Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or coat an 8-inch square baking pan with

nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper

that hangs over two of the edges.

2. MAKE THE CAKE: Zest the lemons directly into a large bowl- you're looking for about 2 tablespoons of zest. Add the sugar and eggs and whisk until pale and foamy, about 1 minute Add the buttermilk, oil, Grand Marnier or lemon juice, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified

3. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk until well-combined and smooth.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles. and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula.

5. Bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool completely.

6. MAKE THE GLAZE: Zest about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest into a bowl. Juice the lemon and measure 1 tablespoon of juice. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt to the bowl with the zest. Whisk until smooth. If necessary, add more lemon juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a thick but pourable glaze.

7. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and let set for about 20 minutes before slicing the cake. (Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to three days. The glaze will soften

over time.)

Notes

This cake highlights bright lemons, but olive oil pairs so nicely with citrus that you can use any citrus you like for the cake and glaze- lime, Meyer lemon, tangerine, blood orange, or grapefruit. You can even combine a few types. I love the combination of the pleasant bitterness and rosy color from pink grapefruit and the sweet, slightly floral scent of Meyer lemons. You'll need about three lemons or limes, two small

oranges, or two small grapefruits to yield the 2 tablespoons plus

1 teaspoon of zest necessary for the cake and the glaze.

Use Another Pan

BUNDT: Double the ingredients for the cake and bake in a prepared 15-cup Bundt pan until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely. Double the ingredients for the glaze, too.

LOAF: Bake in a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes, You'll need a half batch of glaze to coat the cake in a thin layer.

ROUND: Bake in a 9-inch round pan until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.

Flavor Variations

CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN- OLIVE OIL YOGURT CAKE:

Replace the buttermilk with ADVENTURE OLIVE OIL CAKE:

1 cup (220g) plain whole-milk Substitute any other citrus (or yogurt a combination!) for the lemons,

and don't worry about getting

exactly 2 tablespoons of zest-a Dress It Up little more or less is totally okay.

Serve this cake with fresh fruit CITRUS-SOAKED OLIVE OIL and Honey Whip (page 181) or CAKE: Skip the glaze and Fresh Berry Whip (page 181). prepare a batch of Citrus

Syrup (page 98). Pour the syrup over the warm cake while it is cooling in the pan. Let it sit for at least 1 hour before slicing. If

the cake is a Bundt, pour the syrup over the cake just after you unmold it onto the rack, while it's still warm.

STRAWBERRY AND APEROL CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE: Make a strawberry Aperol glaze by whisking 1¼ cups (125g) confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons crushed fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon Aperol, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Pour it over the cooled cake and serve with more strawberries.