Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crème Fraiche
Citrus is a winter crop, so why does it taste so summery? Maybe because of its sunshine color and crisp scent. This lemon olive oil cake is a recipe I tweaked a while back when I was searching for a citrus dessert for a Central Market cooking class. The texture is light and airy, the flavor is bright and not too sweet. An instant favorite.
I’ve tested this cake with all-purpose flour, gluten-free flour, cake flour and pastry flour. I like it best with cake flour, but any of the above will do. The version in the photo was made with all-purpose flour and you can tell it sunk in a little (but I can tell you from experience it was delicious.) It can be made one or two days ahead, completely cooled and wrapped well in plastic wrap. That makes for a super easy ending to your next dinner party.
When my partners Courtney Paddock, from Little Coterie, and Kelley Sullivan Low, from Sullivan Spread, were looking for a dessert to satisfy 80 at our last Farm Girls Supper Club we opted for this treat. We wanted to dress up the cakes with a rustic finish, so the lemon crème fraiche was added on top, along with a heaping helping of blueberries. Perfection on a plate.
Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Crème Fraiche
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 10-12 slices
I prefer to use organic extra virgin olive oil, but regular or "light" olive oil works. If you don't have pastry flour, regular all-purpose flour works fine, just sift it twice. It does make for a slightly denser finished product. If you'd like to make this cake gluten-free, I recommend using Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour or Cup4Cup.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for greasing pan
- 1 large lemon
- 1 cup pastry flour
- 5 large eggs, separated
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Turbinado or Demerara sugar (or white sugar)
For Garnish:
- 1 cup crème fraiche
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
- Blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
Instructions
- Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease springform pan with olive oil
- Finely zest 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon and whisk together with the flour. Halve the lemon, then squeeze and reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
- Using the paddle attachment, in a large bowl beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar at high speed until thick and very pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add olive oil (3/4 cup) and reserved lemon juice, beating until just combined (mixture may appear separated). Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture (do not beat) until just combined.
- Using the whisk attachment, in a clean large bowl beat egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon salt at medium-high speed until foamy, then add 1/4 cup sugar in a slow pour, beating, and continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Gently fold one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten the base, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
- Transfer batter to springform pan. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.
- Bake until puffed and golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side of pan. Cool cake to room temperature, about 1 hour. Can be made 1-2 days ahead, completely cooled, and wrapped well in plastic wrap.
- To make the garnish, in a medium bowl stir together the crème fraiche and lemon curd. Place a dollop on top of each slice of cake when serving and top with fresh berries. For dinner parties, you can serve the whole cake on a slightly rimmed cake stand or cake plate.
Note: Adapted from a 2006 Gourmet magazine recipe.
Courses Dessert
Cuisine Italian
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