Olive oil cakes are some of the easiest and most enjoyable cakes to make at home. They require less work because you aren’t worried about creaming butter and sugar together, and they tend to stay moist longer than their dairy laden cousins. I like to use a delicate, less spicy olive oils when baking. They add just a hint of olive flavor that plays perfectly with the sweet ingredients in this cake. With just whisper olive and a hint of lemon in the sponge offset by the delicious candied orange slivers on top, this cake is the perfect Sunday afternoon treat.
Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream and Candied Orange
Course: DessertCuisine: American, French6
servings40
minutes40
minutesThis light and lemony olive oil cake is the perfect summer afternoon treat. A light lemon-scented sponge, topped with a rich mascarpone buttercream and electrifying candied orange zest, this cake is sure to become a household staple!
Ingredients
- For the Cake
4ozExtra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4cupSugar
2eaLarge Eggs
1tspLemon Juice
1tbspLemon Zest
1/2cupWhole Milk
1 1/2cupsAll Purpose Flour
1tspBaking Powder
1/2 tspSalt
- For the Mascarpone Buttercream
4ozMascarpone
4 ozButter
2cupsPowdered Sugar
- For the Candied Orange Zest
1eaOrange
1/4cupSugar
1cupWater
1cupSugar (for tossing the finished zest)
Directions
- For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine olive oil, eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer
- Mix with the whisk attachment until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the lemon juice, zest, and milk to the mixer
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix until the dry ingredients are completely combined and the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into two, 6 inch cake pans. Place the cake spans in the preheated oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool fully before decorating.
- For the Mascarpone Buttercream
- Combine the butter and mascarpone in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Mix on medium speed with the whisk attachment until the butter and mascarpone are light and fluffy and completely combined.
- Reduce the mixer to low speed.
- Add the powder sugar while the mixer is running, a 1/4 cup at a time. Allow the sugar to mix in before adding another scoop.
- Once all the sugar is combined, increase the mixer speed to medium/high and mix for about a minute.
- Transfer the buttercream to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until needed. Allow the buttercream 15 minutes to warm up before using it.
- For the Candied Orange Zest
- Using a peeler, carefully remove the outer zest from the orange.
- Once the zest is completely removed, slice the zest into thin shreds.
- Place the zest in a small sauce pan with the water, and sugar.
- Squeeze the juice from the orange into the sauce pan and place it on the stove over medium heat.
- Reduce the liquid in the sauce pan until it is thick and syrupy, the zest should begin to look translucent.
- Strain the excess syrup away from the cooked zest. Toss the zest in 1/2 a cup of sugar, making sure that each strand is completely coated in sugar.
- Store the zest in the sugar until needed for decoration. The zest will keep best in a cool, dark place with low humidity like a cabinet or drawer.
- To Assemble
- Place 1 cake round on a cake stand or cake plate.
- Spoon a third of the icing on top of the cake round and spread it evenly over the top.
- Gently place the second cake round on top of the first.
- Spoon another 1/3 of the icing on top of the second cake round and spread evenly to the side.
- Using an offset spatula carefully apply the last 1/3 of the frosting to the outside of the cake and spread it evenly around the sides.
- Sprinkle the candied orange zest over the cake to garnish.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- A high-quality delicate Arbequina extra virgin olive oil would be perfect for this.
Discover more recipes with extra virgin olive oil.
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