Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Indulge in the cake of your dreams: imagine layers of velvety whipped mascarpone cheese, tangy lemon curd, luscious lemon blueberry sauce, all crowned with a sprinkle of fresh, juicy blackberries.

At first glance, it looks complicated, but I am here to tell you, its presentation is 12/10 while its execution is easy and adaptable depending on your schedule. You can complete all the steps the day before to make assembly day that much easier.

Time Breakdown:

• Prep time: 1 hour

• Bake time: 50 minutes

• Assembly time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Lemon Olive Oil Cake

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 5 large eggs

• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• Zest of 1 lemon

• A pinch of sea salt

• 1 lb blackberries

• Optional: 1/4 cup edible flower blossoms

Blueberry Sauce

• 1/2 lb blueberries (I have used both fresh or frozen depending on the season, both work great so use what you have on hand)

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 2-3 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mascarpone Cream

• 4 large egg yolks

• 4 tbsp granulated sugar

• 3/4 lb mascarpone cheese

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• A pinch of salt

Lemon Curd

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 5 large egg yolks

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 5 tbsp butter, cut into 5 pieces

Instructions:

Blueberry Sauce:

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 lb of blueberries, 1/2 lemons’ juice, 2-3 tbsp of honey, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

2. Bring to a simmer and cook until the blueberries burst, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Lemon Curd:

1. Prepare a double boiler with 2 inches of water in the bottom pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
   Note: No need to purchase a special piece of kitchen equipment for this. Use a saucepan and rest a stainless steel bowl on top (it’s just as effective).

2. Whisk together 5 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup of sugar, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup of lemon juice in the top pan/bowl. Whisk together over the steam until combined.

3. Continue whisking constantly, until the curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and whisk in 5 tbsp of butter until melted.

5. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened.

   
   Note: Some days are just too busy for homemade lemon curd. Store-bought lemon curd, like this one from Trader Joe's, can be used in a pinch. You can find it in their jam section.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by buttering it and placing it on a baking sheet.
   Note: No need to go purchase a springform pan! Use a regular 10-inch cake pan, butter it and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat together 5 eggs, zest from 1 lemon, and 1 1/4 cups of sugar until well combined.

3. On medium speed, gradually add 1 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Add 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese, and pinch of sea salt, and whisk until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, and 1/4 tsp of baking soda.

5. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until combined.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.

Mascarpone Cream:

1. Make whipped cream by beating 1 cup of heavy cream, 3/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add more powdered sugar up to 1/2 cup if needed. Refrigerate to keep cool.

2. In another bowl, beat together 4 large egg yolks and 4 tbsp of sugar until fluffy and pale in color.

3. Add zest from 1 lemon and 3/4 lb of mascarpone cheese, a spoonful at a time, until incorporated.

4. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until combined. Be sure to not over-mix. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
   Note: This can turn out runny if the whipped cream is beat too much; no need to stress, it makes for glorious drips around the side of the cake!

Assembly:

1. Once completely cooled, remove the cake from the pan. For a springform pan, release the sides before removing the bottom. If using a standard 10 inch cake pan, run a butter knife around the edges to release the sides then flip to release it from the bottom. If your cake has a significant dome you will want to level the top.

2. Using a cake slicer or serrated knife, slice the cake into two layers.

3. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate or cake stand.

4. Spread the chilled lemon curd over the bottom layer.

5. Spoon half the mascarpone filling on top and spread evenly.

6. Top with blackberries and half the blueberry sauce.

7. Add the second layer of cake and repeat the layering process.

8. Garnish with additional blackberries and edible flowers if desired.

Enjoy!

Tips:

• Complete all steps the day before for easy assembly on the day of serving.

• Adjust the amount of lemon curd, mascarpone filling, and blueberry sauce to your taste.

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