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Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake

  • 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
This lemon olive oil loaf cake is perfection. Rich, dense and loaded with subtle lemony flavors, it's the quick and easy dessert you need to have at hand anytime of the year!
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Quick breads

This lemon olive oil loaf cake is perfection. Rich, dense and loaded with subtle lemony flavors, it’s the quick and easy dessert you need to have at hand anytime of the year!

Ingredients

Scale

For the lemon loaf*:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (180g) sugar
  • 1 ⅓ cup (165g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅓ cup + 1 Tablespoon (100 ml) whipping cream
  • ¼ cup (55 ml) olive oil**
  • 2 lemons, zest only
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

For the syrup (a must have):

  • 3 Tablespoons mineral water
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 Tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and place the rack on the second lower level. Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with oil and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. Set aside.
  2. Mix sugar and lemon zest with a whisk in a large mixing bowl, until some fragrant lemony flavors develop. Using a hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whisk in the whipping cream and the eggs until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder, and add it to the wet ingredients.
  4. Heat olive oil for about 30 seconds in the microwave until slightly lukewarm, then add it to the cake batter. Pour over the prepared loaf pan.
  5. To create the hump: place softened butter in a piping bag, make a little cut, and pipe it into the center of the cake in a straight line from top to bottom.
  6. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the cake is golden and the hump is well risen over the cake.
  7. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Add all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan placed over medium heat. Heat up until it becomes syrupy and coats to a wooden spoon, or until it reaches 230ºF (110ºC) if you are using a cooking thermometer.
  8. Remove loaf cake from the oven and let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Then invert the cake onto a cooling rack. Brush immediately with the syrup on the top and the sides while the cake is still warm. Let cool completely.

Notes

* For best results, I recommend you use the metric system rather than the cup measurements for this very recipe.

** Choose a very fruity olive oil for bolder and deeper flavor. If however you do not like the strong flavor of olive oil in your baking, choose one with a mild flavor.