Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake

This vegan Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake has it all: a moist, tender crumb and a slightly crackly crust made even more delicious by a two-ingredient lemony glaze. Bake it into cute little mini loaves, like I did, or in a single loaf.

This past weekend we went down to the National Mall to see the cherry blossoms at their peak– something we’ve done on and off in the 20 years we’ve lived in the Washington, D.C. area. It’s a sight impossible to tire of, especially when you are standing by the tidal basin and looking out at the thick fringe of pink-and-white flowers lined alongside the water’s edge.

Spring  is always a beautiful time in D.C., although our flowers have been compromised this year by unseasonably warm weather this past winter followed by a late frost that snuffed out too many flowers prematurely. Even the cherry blossoms this year were not as full and lush as they usually are.

Nonetheless, it was nice to have a day to be a tourist in my city, to be one of thousands of people with nothing else to do but enjoy themselves thoroughly. Because caught up in the day-to-day, having fun, for me, sometimes gets reduced to slouching on the couch in front of the television set with Netflix for company. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 🙂

Back home, I was in the mood for baking. Does Spring put you in the mood for some cake? I know, I know, cake is the food for any mood, but baking one up seems particularly enticing in Spring, what with Easter around the corner and all.

I had long had my eye on making a vegan Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake. I had some gorgeous, yellow-orange Meyer lemons in the refrigerator, and time to kill.

I have never baked an olive oil cake before, although I’ve seen recipes often enough, and the reason, partly, is that I was never quite sure how the strong flavor would translate. The answer is, it doesn’t — or at least not in any way that’s offensive. Instead, the taste of the oil mellows down, becoming rather buttery. And the olive oil gives the cake quite the perfect texture: moist, and tender, with a slightly crisp crust.

Jay, my eight-year-old son, is a sucker for citrusy desserts, as I’ve told you before. He loved the cake, and especially the two-ingredient lemon glaze that I brushed the top with.

I know he will be requesting this Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake more often than I can make it. 🙂

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Vegan lemon olive oil pound cake

This vegan Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake has it all: a moist, tender crumb and a slightly crackly crust made even more delicious by a lemony glaze. Bake it into cute little mini loaves, like I did, or in a single loaf.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Vegan

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 18 slices

Author Vaishali

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup cane sugar or turbinado sugar
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 3 tsp egg replacer powder (use cornstarch if you can't find this-- use 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons, but any lemons are fine)

For the lemony glaze:

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cane sugar or turbinado sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Prep your loaf pan/pans. I baked these in three 5 1/2 by 3 inch loaf pans, but you can use a single 9 by 5 inch pan. Spray the pans with some oil and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. 

3. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

4. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the olive oil and the sugar at medium speed, for about a minute.

5. Add the egg replacer powder, vanilla, lemon juice and milk, and continue to beat until well mixed, about 2 minutes.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, beating for no more than 20 minutes after each addition. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

7. Pour the batter evenly into the pan or pans you're using. If using mini loaf pans, like I did, place them on a baking sheet before placing in the oven.

8. Bake for 40-45 minutes in the mini loaf pans, or an hour in the regular sized loaf pan. When your timer goes off, check if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, or with a few crumbs sticking, it's done. If you get wet batter, it needs more time in the oven.

9. Cool the loaf pans on a rack until cool enough to handle, and then turn the cakes out. Glaze while still warm.

Make the lemony glaze:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the sugar with the lemon juice. When it comes to a boil, turn off.

2. Make small holes in the top of your cake with a toothpick and brush the glaze on. Let the cakes cool thoroughly before slicing.

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Let them eat more cake:

Wholegrain Banana Chia Cake with Crumb Topping

Whole Wheat Apple Cake

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake