Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf

You guys, I flippin’ adore this unique Meyer lemon loaf recipe. It’s my new addiction. My new “must send this to the office with my guy because I can’t be trusted home alone with it” cake. Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake: Deliciously dangerous.

It’s also made with – you guessed it – olive oil. Which may seem like a strange ingredient in a cake, but stick with me here. It’s worth it.

(Incidentally, olive oil cakes aren’t necessarily an uncommon thing. And thank goodness for that.)

I originally wanted to make a lemon yogurt cake to use up some of the homemade yogurt that I made thanks to Julia’s fabulous new book. And then I started eyeing the pretty orange-hued meyer lemons gracing my fruit bowl. And then, in the midst of mixing together the ingredients, I decided, thanks to my new perspective, to use olive oil instead of vegetable oil. I didn’t even use light olive oil – I went with the strongest-flavored choice, extra virgin olive oil. Livin’ on the edge, that’s how I roll.

For extra lemon goodness, after the cake comes out of the oven, you drizzle a tart lemon syrup on the still-warm cake so that it soaks in and gets even more lusciously lemony. And with that, I have officially used the word “lemon” three times in a sentence – and I wasn’t even talking about Hart of Dixie!

The combination of the syrup, yogurt (two full cups of it!) and olive oil give this cake an incredible big crumb and luxe, super-moist texture. And, yes, you can taste the olive oil if you go with extra virgin – I love it and think it’s a fine fruity-tasting companion for the sweet-but-tart meyer lemon, but if you’re not sure, try it with a lighter olive oil. You don’t taste as much of that green-y olive oil flavor that way. Either way – good stuff.

5 from 5 votes

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Loaf

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Author: Kare

Yield: 10 slices

Yogurt and olive oil join forces to give this loaf its luxe, super-moist texture; fresh Meyer lemons give it that unbeatable tart-sweet flavor. Recipe makes one loaf.

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Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (divided)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated meyer lemon zest (from 2-3 meyer lemons)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I like the taste that extra virgin gives the cake; if you’d like a milder taste, consider a lighter olive oil)

For the syrup:

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice (from about 4-5 meyer lemons, but it can really depend on how juicy they are)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed meyer lemon juice

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a large loaf pan – approximately 8 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
• Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with a whisk until incorporated, and then fold in the oil. Stir until well-incorporated.
• Pour into the baking pan and cook for 50 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
• While the cake is cooling, make the syrup. Place the 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar into a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
• Set a wire cooling rack over paper towels or into a baking sheet to catch drips. Carefully loosen the sides of the cake and flip the pan upside down over the wire rack to remove the loaf. Carefully flip the loaf so that it is sitting right side up on the wire rack.
• Now, while the cake is warm, spoon the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Let cool for one hour.
• Make the glaze. Place the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir with a fork until combined. Spoon over the top of the cake. Let sit for several minutes until mostly hardened.
• Slice and serve. Cake keeps in an airtight container or zipper bag at room temperature for 3 – 4 days. To freeze, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and transfer to freezer. Allow to thaw for a couple of hours at room temperature before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 420kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 282mg, Potassium: 63mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 99IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 137mg, Iron: 2mg