OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH LIMONCELLO MASCARPONE CREAM

This year for my birthday I wanted to make my own cake and this olive oil cake was the perfect choice. Let me start off by admitting I celebrated a “big” birthday this year and in my books, big birthdays demand a special cake. I wanted it to be memorable and grand, a cake worthy of the milestone I was celebrating. However, that being said, I’m also not a professional baker so it had to be a cake that wasn’t overly challenging to make. Anything too difficult and I would run the risk of having less of that “wow” factor I was looking for when it came time to bring out the cake and blow out the candles. This cake did not disappoint!

I was inspired by a cake I had in Italy a couple of years ago and I wanted to try and recreate something similar for my special day. I’ve made many olive oil cakes before but this time I knew I wanted to add some lemon flavor. I added some lemon zest to the batter but I wanted something a little stronger for the cream. Limoncello was the perfect choice and I just happened to have a bottle in my cupboard that I’d brought back from Italy a couple of years ago. It added just the right amount of lemony zing to the cream!

What Ingredients Do I Need

Limoncello Mascarpone Cream:

• Gelatin – Unflavored
• Whole milk – Whole milk is really best here but if you wanted to you could use 2%.
• Granulated sugar
• Egg yolks – You want only the yolks for this cake. Save your whites for another use.
• Cornstarch
• Mascarpone
• Vanilla extract – I always recommend using pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Limoncello liqueur – Any Limoncello you have on hand will work.
• Fresh raspberries – For serving.

Olive Oil Cake;

• All-purpose flour – I recommend using un-bleached flour but you could use whatever you have on hand..
• Baking powder
• Eggs – At room temperature
• Granulated sugar
• Lemon zest – From unwaxed lemons.
• Extra virgin olive oil – A good quality, fruity EVOO.
• Whole milk – At room temperature. I recommend whole milk but you could also use 2%.

Why Use Olive Oil

If you’ve never baked with olive oil before you really should try it. EVOO can be used to replace butter in almost any baking recipe. Just use 2/3rds the amount of oil as you would butter. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 2/3rds a cup of EVOO. Using EVOO creates very moist and fluffy cakes and muffins with a fine, tender crumb.

How Do You Make This Italian Olive Oil Cake

I won’t lie. While it’s not a difficult cake to make it does take a little while so you do need to plan ahead. The limoncello mascarpone cream needs to cool in the refrigerator for about 3 hours before it goes on the cake so I like to start by making that first. Once that’s done I get to work on the cake batter. This comes together quite quickly and takes about 40 minutes to bake. Once it’s done it needs to cool completely before adding the cream topping so allow a couple of hours for that. I like to add the cream topping and berries right before serving but you can add the cream up to a couple of hours before if you want. Just be sure to tent it with plastic wrap (making sure not to touch the cream) and store it in the fridge. Add the berries right before serving.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

Does an olive oil cake taste different? If you're using a light and fruity EVOO (which I recommend), your cake will taste no different. The cake will pick up whatever flavor you make it. If you're making a chocolate cake with olive oil it will taste like a chocolate cake. If you're making a lemon cake it will taste like a lemon cake. The only time you might notice a little bit of a different taste is if you're making a plain or white cake and you're using a very bold tasting olive oil. This will give your cake a more complex flavor and your cake will be extra moist and tender. 

How much oil do I use instead of butter in a cake? When replacing butter with any kind of oil in baking, the general rule is to cut the amount by 1/3. If you're recipe calls for 1 cup of butter you would use 2/3 cup of oil. 

Which is better for cake, olive oil or extra virgin? To make the best olive oil cake you should be using the best quality of olive oil and that is extra virgin. Plain olive oil has been refined to eliminate defects which also removes a lot of the antioxidants and flavor. Extra virgin has no defects and has never been refined therefore retaining the original flavors and antioxidants. 

Can I mix melted butter and oil for baking? Yes if you like you can replace 1/2 the oil with melted butter. 

Should olive oil cake be refrigerated? There is no need to refrigerate your cake. Just wrap it in plastic or place it in an air tight container. Cakes made with olive oil remain moist and tender far longer than those made with butter. 

Variations;

If you’re not a fan of Limoncello or are looking for a different flavor you could certainly use another type of liqueur. The elderberry-flavored St. Germain would add some sweet floral notes. Creme di Cassis is a lovely black currant liqueur and that would work too especially if you used black currants on the top of the cake. Just keep in mind it will make the cream bluish-purple in color but that could be very pretty. Use your imagination and get creative. I would just stay away from anything that is bitter or has too strong a flavor.

And while I like the contrast of the tart raspberries with the sweet cream you could certainly use different fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries would all be lovely. You could also drizzle the cake with dark chocolate or add chocolate shavings for an added touch.

Olive Oil Cake With Limoncello Mascarpone Cream

A delicious and moist cake with a light lemon pastry cream topping.

www.comfortandpeasant.com

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Extra time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 1 9-inch cake

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

  

Limoncello Mascarpone Cream

• 1 tsp (5.69g) unflavored gelatin
• 2 tsp (10ml) cold water
• 3/4 cup (177ml) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (21g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp (1.42g) salt
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp (28g) cornstarch
• 8 oz (227g) mascarpone
• 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (59ml) Limoncello liqueur
• 2 cups (250g) fresh raspberries for serving

Olive Oil Cake

• 1 3/4 cups (224g) unbleached or all purpose flour
• 1 tsp (4g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (6g) salt
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (251g) granulated sugar plus another 1/4 cup (50g) for sprinkling on the top of the cake
• 2 tsp (2g) lemon zest
• 3/4 cup (177ml) good quality, fruity extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup (177ml) whole milk at room temperture

Instructions

 

Limoncello Mascarpone Cream

• In a small dish combine the gelatin and the water to create a thick paste. Set aside.
• Add milk, sugar, salt, egg yolks, and cornstarch to a medium-sized saucepan and whisk briskly to combine. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture starts to boil. When the mixture has thickened to the point that the whisk leaves track marks remove it from the heat and whisk for another 30 seconds. Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into a bowl.
• Break the gelatin into small pieces and drop them into the warm cream mixture. Combine until the gelatin is well incorporated. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap being sure to press well onto the surface of the cream to avoid a skin forming. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
• When the cream has chilled add it to a large bowl along with the mascarpone, vanilla, and Limoncello. Using the whisk attachment of an electric mixer beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth. At this point, you can taste the cream & add another tbsp or so of Limoncello if you prefer a stronger flavor. Using plastic wrap, cover & refrigerate the cream until you're ready to use it. The cream can be stored for up to 2 days.

Olive Oil Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 Celsius) and grease a 9-inch springform pan with extra virgin olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit. Lightly grease the top of the parchment paper with olive oil.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until combined.
• Using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 60 seconds or until very frothy. While the mixer is running, slowly add in the 1 1/4 cup of sugar and the lemon zest. Beat on high speed until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow in color. About 5 minutes.
• With the mixer running, pour in the extra virgin olive oil in a slow, thin, steady stream. Do not add too quickly as the oil may separate from the batter. Beat until the olive oil is well combined.
• Add half the flour to the bowl and beat on low until combined. Add the milk and beat until combined. Add the rest of the flour and beat until well combined.
  
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and sprinkle the top with the extra 1/4 cup of sugar. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 40 minutes).
• When the cake is done remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes. It will crack on the top as it settles but don't worry as you're going to cover it with the cream. Run a knife around the sides of the pan and then release the side of the pan. Leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan remove it and let it rest it on a wire rack to cool completely. At this point, the cake can be tightly wrapped and kept for up to 3 days. It does not need to be refrigerated.
  

Assemble Cake

• When you are ready to serve the cake pour the mascarpone cream mixture onto the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, spread the cream towards the edges of the cake. Top the cake with berries of your choice and serve.
  

Keyword baking powder, coconut milk, cornstarch, egg yolks, eggs, evoo, extra virgin olive oil, flour, fresh raspberries, gelatin, granulated sugar, lemon zest, Limoncello liquer, mascarone cheese, vanilla extract

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If you’re looking for more desserts worthy of a special occasion check out this Traditional Panna Cotta With Berries or my decadent Dark Chocolate Mousse.