Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake

By I_love_cooking

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, strained
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoons Demerara sugar (I happened to have this in my pantry, but if you don’t, not a big deal)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, butter the pan and the paper.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring it to a simmer. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, and lemon zest. Set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is warm to the touch, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until the mixture thickens, is pale yellow, and forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted, 5 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, milk, and lemon juice. When the egg mixture has thickened, slowly drizzle in the oil mixture with the machine running. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture, and mix just to combine. Drizzle in the butter and mix just to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with the Demerara sugar. Bake, rotating the pan once after 40 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden, the center bounces back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean about 50 minutes. Unmold the cake from the loaf pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.