Olive oil is for sooo much more than savory applications. All cakes need some kind of fat and this deep green super ingredient shines in that role. It makes this cake so moist. The cake flour makes a tender crumb, and the lemon perfectly accentuates the fruity notes of the olive oil. A creamy, subtle lemon mascarpone frosting is just the cherry on top of this sophisticated dessert.
What to Notice
- When mixing your olive oil cake, look for it to come together smoothly. As soon as the flour gets mixed in, put down your whisk, you want this to stay tender and delicate—not dense.
- As it bakes, watch for a golden top, lightly set center, and edges that just begin to pull from the pan. You don’t want the center to jiggle, just you also don’t want it to overbake. As long as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, your cake will continue to set once it cools.
- For the frosting, mascarpone should stay creamy and softly structured. Mix just until it holds its shape—overbeating can make it loosen or turn grainy. The frosting should be slightly sweet, with enough lemon to brighten the olive oil. The finished cake should taste bright, smooth, and balanced, with a tender crumb and a frosting that feels more like a soft cloud than a heavy layer.
Servings: 12 Servings
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup good olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
For the Frosting:
- 1, 8- ounce container of mascarpone
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep a 9-inch round cake pan by buttering the sides and bottom and lining the bottom with a piece of parchment. Set aside.
Make the Cake:
- Sift your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and olive oil. Add in the lemon juice, zest, extracts and yogurt and mix until combined. Whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Frosting:
- While the cake is cooling, add the mascarpone to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until light. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, lemon zest and cream. Mix until smooth and creamy.
