Who needs butter when you have olive oil? In this simple bundt cake recipe, the olive oil stands front and center, giving the cake a subtle fruity undertone, accentuated by sweet notes from the almond liquor and the faint flavor of lemon scattered throughout. Fresh from the oven, the crunchy top gives way to a moist center making the perfect accompaniment to an espresso or cup of coffee. Top with candied lemons, dust with powdered sugar and it’s ready to serve!
To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a bundt pan. Add the olive oil, whole milk, eggs, lemon zest and Amaretto to a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Then, add the dry ingredients to a separate bowl and give them a quick mix.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Then pour the batter into the greased bundt cake pan, filling it 3/4 of the way up the mold so it has room to rise as it cooks.
Place in the oven and allow to bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cake pulls away from the pan slightly and the top is golden.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for fifteen minutes. Then, remove from the mold and allow it to rest on a cooling rack until it comes to room temperature.
To make the candied lemons, heat the water and sugar in a shallow pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon slices to the water, making sure they do not overlap one another. Poach until the lemons are translucent, between 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness.
Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the lemons are done, use a pair of tongs to remove them from the pan and place them on the baking sheet in a single layer.
At this point, you can allow the lemons to dry out overnight, or if you want to speed up the process, you can place them in a 200°F oven for about an hour until they have hardened.
Once they have hardened, cut a slit halfway through the candied lemons and arrange them on the top of the cake. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and you are ready to serve.
Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Amaretto and Candied Lemons
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups flour
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 tspns salt
- 1/2 tspn baking soda
- 1/2 tspn baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 2 lemons, zested
- 1/2 cup Amaretto
For the candied lemons
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
Instructions
For the cake
- To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a bundt pan. Add the olive oil, whole milk, eggs, lemon zest and Amaretto to a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Then, add the dry ingredients to a separate bowl and give them a quick mix.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Then pour the batter into the greased bundt cake pan, filling it 3/4 of the way up the mold so it has room to rise as it cooks. Place in the oven and allow to bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the cake pulls away from the pan slightly and the top is golden.
For the candied lemons
- Heat the water and sugar in a shallow pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon slices to the water, making sure they do not overlap onto one another. Poach until the lemons are translucent, between 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the lemons are done, use a pair of tongs to remove them from the pan and place them on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- At this point, you can allow the lemons to dry out overnight, or if you want to speed up the process, you can place them in a 200°F oven for about an hour or until they have hardened.
- Cut a slit in the candied lemons and arrange them on the top of the cake. Dust the cake with powdered sugar and you are ready to serve.
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