Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
- 2 tbsp honey, for glaze
- 1 tbsp coarse sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until pale and slightly emulsified. Add eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition for 30 seconds to create a stable emulsion.
- Add lemon zest and vanilla extract, whisking to combine. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk in three additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until just combined after each addition—do not overmix. Fold in lemon juice gently with a spatula.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 42-48 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the cake is golden brown at the edges.
- Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. While warm, brush top and sides with honey. Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt while honey is still tacky.
- Cool completely to room temperature—at least 1 hour—before serving. The crumb will set and become tender. Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Inspired by Shelby Sieg’s winning olive oil cake. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.