Rosemary Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Woodsy, aromatic rosemary and sunny, bright lemon make a beautiful pairing in this lovely cake. The olive oil lends a rich, round flavor and makes for a perfectly tender crumb that is balanced with just enough sweetness from the herb-infused glaze. Serve with steaming cups of coffee or tea for an elegant afternoon snack or dessert.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake 

1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus one teaspoon for greasing pan 

2 cups cake flour 

1/3 cup almond flour or almond meal 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 

1 teaspoon almond extract 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

3 eggs 

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest 

1 cup sugar 

Rosemary Lemon Glaze 

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 cup lemon juice 

1 tablespoon lemon zest 

1 sprig rosemary, plus more chopped rosemary for garnish

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. In another small bowl, place lemon juice, almond extract and vanilla extract, and stir to combine.

Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs, lemon zest, and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is very light, thick, and pale, about 3 minutes if using a stand mixer, and about 5 minutes if using a hand mixer. With mixer on high speed, gradually stream in 1 1⁄4 cups olive oil and beat until mixture is very thick. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with lemon juice mixture, ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl occasionally.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth top and place cake in preheated oven. Bake until top is golden-brown and center is firm to the touch, about 40–50 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

For the glaze:

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low and add 1 rosemary sprig and continue simmering until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove rosemary sprig and discard.

Poke holes all over top of cake with a toothpick or skewer and drizzle with glaze. Let glaze absorb into the cake, and let cake cool completely for 1 hour before serving. Garnish with additional chopped rosemary, if desired.