Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake
Recipe Date:
April 1, 2023
Serving Size:
8
Cook Time:
01:00:00
Difficulty:
Medium
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
Meyer lemons are a cross between lemons and mandarin oranges, making this lemon loaf cake a celebration of all things Meyer lemon. Infused with lots of zest, a sweet lemony soaking syrup, and a yummy lemon glaze, this will become one of your favorite cakes!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest, from 2-3 lemons
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Dry Creek Olive Co. Meyer Lemon olive oil
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsps Meyer lemon juise
- For Syrup
- 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
- 1/2 granulated sugar
- 2 tsps olive oil
- pinch of fine sea salt
- For Glaze
- 7/8 cup 100 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 5 tsps Meyer lemon juice, from 1 lemon
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan, and line with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to help lift the cake out later (the short sides will be un-lined).
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest and sugar between your fingers to release the oils and break up the clumps of zest. Add baking powder and salt and mix to combine.
- Add eggs and beat with the paddle attachment for 3 to 5 minutes or until the batter is lightened in color and falls in ribbons from the beater.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil until fully emulsified.
- Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by half of the cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add remaining flour, and once it is nearly incorporated, add the rest of the cream and lemon juice and mix until just combined (do not overmix, the batter may be a little bit lumpy, but that's ok).
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. To help define the crack in the middle of the cake, dip a bench scraper in olive oil and press it in the center of the batter, about 1/4 inch deep.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted at the highest point near the edge of the crack comes out mostly clean (don't test in the crack itself, which will be a bit softer because of the oil).
- About 10 minutes before the cake is done, prepare the lemon syrup by combining the lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear.
- Let cake cool for 5 minutes (just until it's cool enough to handle), then lift out the cake using parchment overhang and place it on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet to catch the overflow. Poke all over the surface of the cake using a thin skewer (I used a cocktail pick which was the perfect length).
- Pour warm syrup over the top of the cake, focusing mainly on the areas around the crack (if you soak too much syrup in the crack, it may get a little soggy). Scrape the overflow from the baking pan back into the saucepan, then pour another coat over the cake.
- Let cool completely, or, if making ahead of time, wrap the still-warm cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- For the glaze, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cake on an oven-safe wire rack set inside a baking sheet.
- Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon juice, one teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is smooth and has a nice brushable consistency. Brush glaze over the entire surface of the cake, top and sides. Like the syrup, try not to fill the crack with too full of glaze. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes just to set the glaze (this helps the glaze set up extra crackly).
- Let cool for about 30 minutes until the glaze is cooled and fully set, then slice and serve at room temperature.
- The cake will keep, wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator, for up to 1 week.