Lemon Olive Oil Cake

This  is a slow-baked Italian breakfast cake that uses olive oil rather than butter as the fat. This cake has been described as "unctuous". That's a good thing.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup of sugar

• 3/4 of a cup of plain yogurt (not low-fat)

• finely grated zest of 3 lemons

•  3/4 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil

Methods:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch spring-form pan. Mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. In another larger bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until pale and thick (5 minutes). Add yogurt and lemon zest and beat to combine. Add the oil in a steady stream to the mixture using a medium speed on your beater. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients until they are all incorporated into the batter. Pour the batter into the oiled pan and bake for 40-45 minutes on the middle rack of your oven, or until the centre of the cake 'springs back' when touched. Let cool completely on a rack before serving.


The cake does not require icing, however if  you would prefer to have an iced cake, this is the way to do it.....

Melt a 1/4 cup of butter. Add a 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the butter. With a hand held blender, add 4 cups of icing sugar to the lemon/butter mixture. Blend until smooth.