Olive Oil Cake With Citrus Glaze

When the weather is warm, nothing beats a citrusy dessert!  This Olive Oil Cake With Citrus Glaze will be a hit on any spring or summer table!

The cake is super moist and fluffy, and has just the right amount of olive oil flavor.  The glaze adds a light lemon touch, and the hefty quantity of orange zest in the cake subtly brings it all together!

The glaze is incredibly easy with only 3 ingredients.  It’s the same 3 that I use on my Iced Lemon Cake!

Main Supplies Needed:

  • A 10 Inch Springform Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • A Baking Sheet
  • Aluminum Foil
  • A Zester Or Cheese Grater
  • A Whisk
  • Toothpicks
  • A Cooling Rack

Servings: 8 Large Slices, Or 12 Small Slices

Ingredients:

CAKE

  • 1.5 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil (+ enough to grease the pan)
  • 3 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 Cup Cane Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tsp Lemon Zest, lightly packed
  • 1/3 Cup Orange Zest, lightly packed
  • 1 + 1/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Whole Milk
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

GLAZE

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Tsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • This makes a generous amount of glaze – I prefer to use the majority, but add as much or as little as you like!
  • To thicken: add more powdered sugar / To thin: add more lemon juice

LINKS TO INGREDIENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Flour

Directions:

CAKE

Grease a 10 inch springform pan with olive oil, add a layer of parchment paper across the bottom, then lightly grease again

Take a baking sheet, add a layer of aluminum foil (in case of any slight leakage), and place the springform pan on top of it

Set the baking sheet with the pan on it aside

Preheat the oven to 325º

In a large bowl, use a fork to gently whisk together the olive oil and the eggs

Add the sugars, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange zest, and milk, and gently stir with fork until combined

In a second smaller bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder with a fork until evenly mixed

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix gently until well combined – Start with a spoon, then gently use a whisk until batter is smooth

Add the batter to the pan, and bake for 60 min – A toothpick will come out clean, and the cake will have risen

Carefully transfer the springform pan off of the baking sheet and onto a cooling rack

Let cool completely before removing from the pan

GLAZE

While the cake is cooling, mix up the glaze:

Stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl

Once the cake has cooled, spread the glaze evenly across the top

To let the glaze solidify, it’s best to let it sit and harden for a few hours

Enjoy!

[Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container, and in the refrigerator after the first day.  Slices can be brought back to room temperature if desired before eating, or can also be enjoyed cold!]

Lime Cupcakes + Vanilla Lime Frosting

The perfect cupcakes for a warm spring day, these Lime Cupcakes with Vanilla Lime Buttercream Frosting are just the right combination of refreshing and decadent!

The cake portion is minimally sweet, letting the indulgent frosting really shine and create the perfect balance. 

You don’t need any expert skills or tools to make these cupcakes.  While using a piping bag for frosting will always look pretty, you can also use the ziplock bag method as I did!  A butter knife works as well.  Use whatever you have available to you!

Main Supplies Needed:

  • A Cupcake / Muffin Pan + Liners
  • A Hand Mixer
  • A Zester Or Cheese Grater
  • Toothpicks
  • A Cooling Rack

(If you don’t anticipate the entire batch being consumed at once, check out the storage recommendations at the bottom of the instructions.)

Servings: 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

CUPCAKES

  • 1.5 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1.5 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 3/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Cane Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Lime Zest
  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, cubed, room temperature
  • 2 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/3 Cup + 1 Tbsp Half and Half, room temperature, or slightly cool is okay!

FROSTING

  • 1 Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temperature/softened
  • 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Lime Zest
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

TOPPING

Optional: Lime Slice Garnishes To Serve

Directions:

PREP

Line a cupcake/muffin tray with 12 liners

Prepare the lime zest and set aside (including the extra reserved for the frosting)

Preheat the oven to 350º

CUPCAKES

In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt, and whisk together with a fork

Set the dry ingredients aside

In a large bowl, mix the sugar and lime zest together with a hand mixer

Beat in the cubed butter with a hand mixer, being careful not to overmix (A spoon can be briefly used to ease the mixing, then switch to a low/medium speed until combined and fluffy)

Next, beat in the eggs until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in approximately half of the lime juice until just combined (on a low speed)

Then, mix in approximately half of the dry ingredients until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in the other half of the lime juice as well as the half and half until just combined (on a low speed)

Mix in the other half of the dry ingredients until combined (on a low speed)

You can use a spoon to scrape the sides if needed and lightly finish stirring

The batter should now be smooth

Add the batter into the liners

Bake for 18 minutes, or just until a toothpick comes clean

Be careful not to overbake as they will dry out quickly

After 2 minutes, transfer them to a cooling rack to prevent overcooking (I use a pair of forks to lightly grab them out of the hot pan)

While they’re cooling, make the frosting

FROSTING

In a large bowl, beat the butter with a hand mixer until whipped

Loosely stir in the powdered sugar (to avoid mess) then finish combining it with the hand mixer

Mix in the lime juice

Then, mix in the lime zest

Finally, mix in the vanilla

DECORATION

Using your method of choice, frost the cupcakes

Garnish with lime slices before serving if you like

Enjoy!

[If the whole batch is not being consumed at once, the leftover cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and the leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge!  The frosting can be brought back up to room temperature before using on the leftovers.  It will return to its original soft texture.]

Ingredient recommendations linked!


Interested in more citrus desserts? Try my Iced Lemon Cake!