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Bundt lemon cake with white icing, lemon slices, and zest on top, served on a white plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Lemon Olive Oil Cake is soft, moist, and topped with a rich browned butter ganache that's sprinkled with bright lemon zest!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 590kcal
Author: Debi Morgan | Quiche My Grits

Equipment

Ingredients

Prepare the Bundt Pan

  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil (high quality)
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (add with wet ingredients)

Browned Butter Ganache

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 12 ounces white chocolate (high quality)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (sprinkle on top of wet ganache)

Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the bundt pan by brushing the inside of the pan with melted butter, then coating with flour and tapping out the excess.
  • Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  • Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, sour cream, milk and lemon zest.
  • Make the Batter: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined.
  • Bake the Cake: Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan (an ice cream scoop helps) and smooth out the top. Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, or until the center springs back and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan at room temperature before removing it.
    Six-step collage showing cake batter being mixed, baked in a bundt pan, and topped with icing.
  • Make the Ganache: While the cake is cooling, prepare the browned butter ganache by melting the butter in a medium saucepan.
    As it melts and begins to sputter, continue to stir, scraping the bottom and edges of the pan, until the little bits of milk solids turn a pecan color. Don’t walk away, as it can burn easily. Immediately after the color change, pour the browned butter and the pecan-colored bits into a small bowl to stop the browning. 
    Add White Chocolate and Cream: In two separate bowls, add the white chocolate to one and the heavy cream to the other. Warm the cream in the microwave for 30 seconds, not letting it boil. Pour the browned butter into the cream and stir. Then pour the entire mixture over the white chocolate and let it sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to begin melting.
    Stir Ganache Well: Whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth. If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave it in 15-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool.
  • Glaze and Serve: When the bundt cake has cooled completely in the pan, remove it and place it on a cake plate. Drizzle the barely warm browned butter ganache over the cake. Sprinkle with lemon zest.
    Place the cake in the refrigerator for a short while to set the ganache. Remove from the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

Notes

  • Use a good quality olive oil for the best flavor.
  • Don’t over mix the batter.
  • Prep the bundt pan well so the cake releases cleanly.
  • Cool the cake fully before adding ganache.
  • Watch the browned butter carefully so it doesn’t burn.
  • Let the ganache cool slightly before drizzling.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 590kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2mg