Lemon Verbena Olive Oil Cake

Fragrant with citrus and herbaceous notes, this olive oil cake is a celebration of summer simplicity. Fresh lemon zest and lemon verbena are gently rubbed into sugar to release their full aroma, then folded into a tender batter made with Cucina Cipoletti’s extra virgin olive oil. The result is a moist, delicate crumb with a subtly fruity depth—finished with a lemon verbena glaze. 

Yield 10

Mis en Place

For the cake

1¼ C. All-purpose flour

½ Tsp. Baking powder

¼ Tsp. Baking soda

¼ Tsp. Kosher salt

Zest of 2 lemons

1 Tbsp. Fresh lemon verbena leaves, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)

1¼ C. Granulated sugar

2 Large eggs, room temperature

¾ C. Olive oil (I used Cucina Cipoletti)

½ C. Sour cream

¼ C. Limoncello

For the glaze

¾ C. Confectioners’ sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Lemon verbena simple syrup (see below)

For the lemon verbena syrup

¼ C. Water

¼ C. Sugar

A small handful of lemon verbena leaves

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Method

Step 1

Make the cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (160°C).

Generously grease a Bundt pan with oil and flour.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon verbena, and sugar.

Use your fingers to rub the zest and leaves into the sugar until fragrant and slightly damp.

Add the eggs and whisk until pale and slightly thickened, then add the olive oil, sour cream, and limoncello, whisking until smooth.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined—don’t over mix.

Pour into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, o

r until a tester comes out clean and the top springs back gently to the touch.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 2

Make the lemon verbena syrup

While the cake cools, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and add the lemon verbena leaves.

Let steep for 10–15 minutes, then strain.

Step 3

Make the glaze

In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and a tablespoon or two of the lemon verbena syrup, adding just enough to create a pourable glaze.

Step 4

To finish

Once the cake is fully cooled, drizzle the glaze generously over the top.

Garnish with extra lemon zest and micro lemon verbena leaves for a soft, elegant touch.

Best enjoyed outdoors, with a breeze in your hair and something sparkling in your glass.