Description
Mediterranean sunlight dances through this citrus olive oil cake, bringing pure simplicity to your dessert table. Fresh lemons and rich olive oil create a delightfully moist treat perfect for sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Flavor Enhancers:
- Zest of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to precisely 350°F and coat a 9-inch round cake pan with a thin layer of olive oil, ensuring complete coverage. Line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Grab a medium mixing bowl and thoroughly combine 1 ½ cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt using a whisk.
- In a separate large bowl, gently mix ½ cup fresh orange juice with the zest from one orange and one lemon. Pour in ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil and blend until smooth.
- Crack 3 room-temperature eggs into the citrus mixture, incorporating them one at a time. Stir in ½ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the mixture looks uniform.
- Softly introduce the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, using a spatula to fold gently. Stop mixing the moment ingredients are just combined—avoid overmixing.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with your spatula to create an even layer. Slide the pan into the preheated oven.
- Bake for exactly 32-35 minutes, watching for a golden-brown surface. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should emerge clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to rest inside the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Zesting citrus requires a gentle touch, so grate only the colored part of the peel and avoid the bitter white pith underneath.
- Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly and create a more consistent cake texture, so pull them out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
- Extra-virgin olive oil contributes a complex flavor, but a milder olive oil works better if you prefer a subtler taste in your cake.
- For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and add an extra teaspoon of baking powder to maintain the cake’s light texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 334 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 126 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg