Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup (300g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp meyer lemon zest
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 cup (240ml) whole milk
1/3 cup (80ml) meyer lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
Elderflower Mascarpone Cream
1 cup (250g) mascarpone, at room temperature
seeds from a vanilla bean pod
1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons elderflower liqueur (optional)
1 1/4 cup (300g) heavy cream, cold from the fridge
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line one 9-inch or two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl add the sugar and lemon zest, using your fingertips massage them together to release the oils- it should smell fragrant and amazing. Add the eggs and olive oil and whisk together. Add milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Give it a good whisk.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes for 8 inch cakes, and 50-55 for the 9-inch, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pan, before removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the whipped mascarpone, whip the mascarpone, vanilla bean and sugar together until smooth, then add the cream, elderflower and salt and whip until thick and fluffy.
- Top the cake with the elderflower cream and decorate with spring blooms.