Food & Wine USA - (01)January 2021

JANUARY 2021 41

EASY BAKES

Lemon Cake with Cream

Cheese Frosting

ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 3 HR 15 MIN

SERVES 8 TO 10

Layers of delicate flavors from lemon,

honey, and extra-virgin olive oi l—which

helps keep the cake moist and imparts

mild fruitiness—come together in this

one-bowl batter. Stacked with a fluffy and

rich lemon–cream cheese frosting, this

easy layer cake is a keeper. Be sure the

butter and cream cheese are softened for

the smoothest frosting.

LEMON CAKE

13 /^4 cups granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest plus

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, divided

3 /^4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large eggs

1 cup whole milk or oat milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 / 4 tsp. fine sea salt

3 cups all-purpose flour (about 12^3 / 4

oz.)

11 / 2 tsp. baking powder

Cooking spray

3 Tbsp. honey (preferably orange

blossom)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp.

fresh lemon juice

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 / 2 cup unsalted butter (4 oz.),

softened

3 cups powdered sugar (about 12 oz.)

1. Make the lemon cake: Preheat oven to
   350°F. Combine granulated sugar and
   lemon zest in a large bowl, and rub with
   fingers to disperse lemon oil until sugar
   feels moist, about 1 minute. Whisk in olive
   oil. Add eggs; whisk until well combined.
   Add milk, vanilla, and salt; whisk until

sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Whisk in flour and baking powder just

until combined, and then whisk 20 turns

around the bowl. Lightly coat a 13- x

9-inch metal baking pan with cooking

spray; pour batter into pan. Bake in pre-

heated oven until a wooden skewer

inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to

35 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire

rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire

rack, and poke cake all over with a

wooden skewer or fork 15 to 20 times. Stir

together honey and lemon juice in a small

bowl until smooth. Brush or drizzle syrup

over warm cake. Let cake cool completely,

about 1 hour.

2. Make the cream cheese frosting:
   Combine cream cheese, lemon zest and
   juice, and salt in a large bowl. Beat with
   an electric mixer on medium-high speed
   until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add but-
   ter, and beat on high speed until pale and
   fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape
   sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to
   low, and gradually add powdered sugar,
   beating until incorporated. Increase
   speed to high, and beat until fluffy, about
   2 minutes.


3. Transfer cake to a parchment paper–
   lined baking sheet. Spread 1^1 / 2 cups frost-
   ing evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate,
   uncovered, until frosting hardens, about
   15 minutes. Cut cake in half crosswise,
   and stack halves. Spread remaining frost-
   ing on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate
   cake, uncovered, 30 minutes, or cover
   and refrigerate up to 3 days. Serve cake
   chilled. —MARY-FRANCES HECK
   MAKE AHEAD Assembled cake can be
   covered and stored in refrigerator up to
   3 days.

SWEET SMARTS

This easy two-layer
cake only requires
one pan—a 13- x
9-inch dish. Frost
the top of the sheet
cake, cut it in half,
stack it, and frost
the sides and top
to finish.

HANDBOOK

FOOD STYLING: TORIE COX; PROP STYLING: CLAIRE SPOLLEN