Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

This lemon rosemary olive oil cake is bright, earthy, and not too sweet. It takes just minutes to get in the oven and will stay moist for days.

The chances are that you use olive oil in your everyday cooking. But have you tried it for baking? It may sound unusual, but baking with olive oil is common in countries such as Spain, where there is a fresh and flavorful supply of olives.

Olive oil helps to make baked goods, especially cakes, moister and more tender. It also adds some interesting flavor notes. Of course, you want to use an olive oil whose flavor you like. I don't suggest using a cheap oil or one that has a strong peppery flavor. Either could overwhelm your baking. The idea is that you only want a hint of the oil that will complement the other flavors you include.

If you've ever gone to one of those shops where you can taste oils and vinegars, you know how much one olive oil can differ from another. Before you bake with the oil you have at home, you'll want to give it a taste on its own first, which you may have never done.

Just put a little oil on a spoon and give it a try. If you enjoy what you taste, great. If not, I'd wait until you can get another bottle before using it in baking. There are so many olive oils out there, and we all have different taste preferences, it's impossible to recommend one particular brand to you. I can say that the olive oil I most commonly buy is Spectrum's organic extra virgin Mediterranean olive oil. It's a little fruity with just a hint of pepper.

Another benefit of baking with olive oil is that it keeps your baked goods fresher for longer. Because it adds moistness, when I use olive oil in baking, it seems to help keep things fresh for three or four days. Often things dry out and harden up after a couple of days, but that's not the case with this cake. Also worth noting is that compared to butter, olive oil has less saturated fat, and many people consider it a healthier alternative. Then again, maybe don't eat cake if you're that worried about being healthy.

Olive oil won’t work in all instances of baking, whether because of the flavor or because of the technique. If you have a recipe that requires creaming butter and sugar, don’t try to use oil instead. It won’t work. But if you want to give it a try for the first time, a good place to start is with recipes that already use oil. Just replace the same amount of olive oil for the oil in the recipe. If you’re looking to use olive oil in place of butter, replace it at a 3:4 ratio. In other words, if it says you need a cup of butter, use ¾ cup of oil in its place.

With this cake, I not only used olive oil, but I also added in another unexpected ingredient: rosemary. I managed to keep my rosemary plant mostly alive in a cold frame in my backyard this winter, and I had a sprig already on the counter in need of a good use. Between the olive oil and rosemary and the freshness of the lemon zest and juice, this cake is more complex and less sweet than others. Of course, if you add the lemon glaze on top, that will add sweetness, for sure. Though even then, the lemon helps cut that too.

Make this lemon rosemary olive oil cake when you want something fresh and unexpected. It works well as a snack, dessert, or even served at brunch.

Looking for more citrus recipes. Try these:

• Lemon Ricotta Matzah Brei
• Blood Orange & Grapefruit Marmalade
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange

📖 Recipe

Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

---

★★★

3 from 1 review

• Author: What Steve Eats
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This lemon rosemary olive oil cake is bright, earthy, and not too sweet. It takes just minutes to get in the oven and will stay moist for days.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the optional lemon glaze:

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and cut a circle of parchment paper to place on the bottom of the pan.

In a medium bowl, add the oil, eggs, sugar, yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and rosemary. Whisk until smooth.

In a second bowl, use a clean whisk to blend the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet.

Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake on a rack in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan before removing and serving.

To make the glaze: whisk the lemon juice and zest, water, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth and thick, but still pourable. Add more water if too thick or more sugar if too runny. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and decorate with lemon slices and rosemary, if desired.

Notes

Try making this cake with oranges instead of lemons.

Thyme could also be good in place of the rosemary.

Want to make this into cupcakes? Divide batter into a greased muffin tin and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes. Makes about 12 cupcakes.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Spanish

Keywords: lemon, rosemary, olive oil, cake, baking