Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. Moist, light cake hinted with rosemary and lemon and generously topped with mascarpone whipped cream. Olive oil adds a lovely fruity flavor and lots of moisture. This cake is simply delicious!
BAKING WITH OLIVE OIL
As if you couldn’t tell from the Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies I shared yesterday, I am all about baking with olive oil. It adds a slightly fruity flavor and so much moisture. I love pairing it with fruity desserts like this Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake. It’s also delicious and decadent with chocolate. Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake anyone?!
ABOUT THIS OLIVE OIL CAKE
Seeing that it’s citrus season, I decided to use my Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake as the base for this Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake.
WHAT’S IN THIS CAKE?
- Lemon: Lemon and olive oil are amazing together (I use them pretty much every day in the kitchen).
- Rosemary: Rosemary adds a lovely, unique flavor and just makes this cake even more of a treat! Don’t worry- the rosemary flavor isn’t overpowering! We add just enough rosemary to add just a hint!
- Mascarpone Whipped Cream: Rich and creamy Mascarpone cheese makes THE most amazing, must try whipped cream.
MASCARPONE
Mascarpone cheese is a very creamy cheese made primarily out of cream. It’s similar to but richer than (!) cream cheese. I absolutely love its slightly sweet taste and ultra creamy texture. I used it in this delicious No Churn Mixed Berry Mascarpone Ice Cream.
MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM
This whipped cream is the same delicious filling from my Pomegranate Mascarpone Whipped Cream Cake Roll.
THIS WHIPPED CREAM IS:
- EASY TO MAKE: It’s similar to making regular whipped cream. It takes minutes and the mixer does the work!
- VERSATILE: In addition to being the perfect filling for a cake roll, it would be delicious served with some fresh fruit.
- CREAMY YET LIGHT: It’s really the best of both worlds. Creamy and indulgent and also light and refreshing!
- PERFECTLY SWEET: It’s great for people who like their desserts a little less sweet. That said, you can easily add a bit more powdered sugar if you want to sweeten it.
HOW TO DECORATE YOUR CAKE
This cake is rustic which to me means simple! All you need to do is spread the whipped cream. I love using my offset spatula for this.
Add some lemon slices and or some sprigs of rosemary is a great idea too. Not only are these pretty, they also serve as flavor cues!
HOW TO ENJOY THIS CAKE
Since this cake is topped with whipped cream, it’s best eaten the day it’s made. That said, we had it for dessert one evening and breakfast the following day. It was still delicious but just not quite as pretty.
You can generously slather the cake with whipped cream. You can also simply dust the cake with powdered sugar and serve the whipped cream on the side. Put a dollop of whipped cream on top of individual slices or plates. Hot tip! Leftover whipped cream can also be used to top cupcakes or to serve with a bowl of fruit!
WHAT TO TOP IT WITH
- POWDERED SUGAR: It’s so pretty and adds a bit more sweetness!
- POWDERED SUGAR ICING: I was close to drizzling this cake with the lemon icing recipe I used in these Lemon Sour Cream Cookies. I haven’t tried it with this cake yet, but I am sure it’ll be delicious!
There’s nothing not to love about this Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake. It’s light and fluffy and rich and moist. This cake is hinted with rosemary and lemon and perfectly sweetened with sugar. Whether you top it with refreshing mascarpone whipped cream or drizzle it with tart, sweet lemon icing, it’s a simple, flavorful treat!
Print
Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: One 8-inch cake 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This gorgeous Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake makes a super moist, flavorful dessert. Easy to make and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons milk
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, packed, divided
- powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
FOR THE MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 7 ounces mascarpone cheese, drained, cold
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or lightly oil an 8″ pan.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Finely chop one tablespoon of the rosemary and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, beat the sugar, eggs, and lemon zest until thick, fluffy, and pale, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped rosemary. Slowly add the olive oil with the mixer still running on high. Beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add the milk and lemon juice alternatively with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan. Scatter the remaining rosemary overtop. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake (a few crumbs are okay).
- Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
- Once cooled or before serving, dust with powdered sugar, mascarpone whipped cream or lemon icing.
FOR THE MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract on high speed until you have soft peaks.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and whip til stiff peaks form. Spread it on top of the cooled cake or serve it alongside individual slices.
Keywords: olive oil, lemon, citrus, rosemary, cake
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Adore Lemon! Can only imagine the taste with that whipped cream!
★★★★★
Me too! I love anything with lemon 🙂 The mascarpone whipped cream is a must-try! Rich and light at the same time!
One of most delicious 😋lemon cakes you can possible make!
★★★★★
Thanks Yous! So happy you loved this Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake!
Have made this cake 3 times – everybody knows including myself love it!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for making this cake and for your comment Susan! I’m so happy everyone loves it! I hope you continue to enjoy it! 🙂 Natalie
If I top my cake with the mascarpone topping, how would I store this cake? In the refrigerator?
Hi Kristina, yes I definitely recommend storing the cake in the refrigerator due to the mascarpone. It’s also a good idea to keep the cake in the fridge until just before serving. Please let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 Natalie
Great recipe! I tried a variation on this where I added a lemon crumble (3 tbs flour, 3 tbs demerara sugar, 1 tbs butter and the rind from 1 lemon) on top before baking and it also works very well.
Hi Sylvia thank you for making this cake! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Great idea to add a lemon crumble. Thanks for sharing that recipe. I can’t wait to try to it sometime! Have a great evening! -Natalie