Olive Oil Cake Recipe

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper; grease the parchment and flour the pan lightly, tapping out excess flour.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp fine salt until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk 3 eggs lightly until blended. Add 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and the lemon zest. Whisk until smooth and homogeneous.

Combine

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently with a spatula or mixing on low speed just until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl and fold once or twice more to ensure no streaks of flour remain; take care not to overmix.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden, a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, and the cake springs back lightly when touched.

Cool

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge, invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment, and invert again to cool right-side up. Let the cake cool completely before dusting or glazing.

For a simple finish, sift 2 tablespoons powdered sugar over the cooled cake just before serving. For a light lemon glaze, whisk 2 tablespoons powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until smooth and drizzle over the cake, allowing it to set for 10 minutes. Optionally, brush a little extra-virgin olive oil on the cake top for a subtle sheen before serving.