Leave it to a SoCal duchess to come up with the cross-stitch-worthy quote, “Moments, like enjoying a meal together, fill us up with more than just food.” Like wearing a boyfriend button-down and jeans while serving a roasted chicken in the English countryside—or wherever—Meghan Markle’s Lemon Olive Oil Cake transforms a few top-shelf ingredients into the casual girl (cake) next door.
No big deal, but Meghan’s basically my neighbor. I’m just, y’know, two hours south in Los Angeles. We’ve never spoken, but in my real life, I’m lucky to have an actual friend in the culinary industry who gifted me a bottle of fancy EVOO after visiting a grove in Italy, along with a few Meyer lemons from her tree. This recipe provided the perfect opportunity to use the grassy, floral olive oil in a way I could really taste it.
Olive oil keeps this cake ultra-moist for days, spotlit by the delicate perfume of lemon blossoms, not the mouth-puckering punch of full-scale lemon. Think what you want about the Sussexes, but this Italia-fornia dessert is so low-key stunning, I’ll be making it for a brunch spread, light dessert, or any other chance I get to treat my friends.
It’s rich, spongy, and barely sweet, with a buttery, crunchy, golden brown crust that melts in your mouth. And thanks to an extra drizzle of limoncello on my slice, I also felt like I treated myself.
Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair
Tips for Making Meghan Markle’s Lemon Olive Oil Cake
This recipe, featured in The World Central Kitchen Cookbook, calls for the iconically Italian liqueur limoncello. I picked up a bottle of Pallini, which leans less Starbucks-lemon-loaf and more refreshingly citrusy, but you could also substitute lemon-flavored vodka or extra lemon juice instead.
I also went full Lemon Appreciation Society, using the zest, juice, and optional lemon extract. As for the olive oil, you don’t have to use a fancy brand, but since it’s the starring flavor of the cake, make sure it’s fresh. Also, I almost missed the baking soda on page two of the ingredients list. For the record, there is baking soda and baking powder in this recipe.
The recipe requires a 9-inch springform pan or a deep cake pan. The pan must be three inches high because the batter will overflow a shorter pan. Mise en place makes whisking your batter a cinch. (P.S., the batter is supposed to be runny.)
My cake was done at 1 hour and 30 minutes at 325°F (15 minutes longer than the recipe says). Topped with a sprig of sugared rosemary, this cake tastes high-society yet is down-to-earth enough to accompany fresh fruit, a scoop of ice cream, or a cup of tea or coffee while you kick back at your castle in your most royal sweats.
Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair
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