Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Cake with crackle sugar crust, labneh and blueberries

For the longest time, I was intrigued to make an olive oil cake but always chose to make a regular, buttery cake instead. Why? Probably because I was used to the latter. When I recently zapped into a rerun of an older episode of COOK’S Country (2017), I was finally ready. Better even, I had all ingredients at home. This will be one of the most fragrant and moist summery cakes you’ll ever make.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 oz.) all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cup (8 3/4 oz.) plus 2 TBSP sugar

Zest of a Meyer lemon

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup milk

To serve:

1 cup labneh, substitute w/Greek yoghurt if you can’t find any

1/4 cup wild blueberries, fresh or thawed frozen ones

1. Position the oven rack in the middle and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium speed until foamy. Add 1 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest, increase speed to high, and whisk until mixture is fluffy and pale yellow. Reduce speed to medium and with the mixer running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Keep mixing on low speed adding half of the flour mixture until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add milk and mix until combined, add the rest of the flour mixture and whisk until it’s just incorporated.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 2 TBSP sugar over the top of the batter. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 - 45 minute, turning the cake at halftime. Transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the side (and only the side) of the springform pan and let the cake cool completely, ca. 90 minutes.

4. When the cake is completely cooled, slide the cake onto a platter, cut, and serve with a dollop of labneh and a spoonful of the blueberries.

Store the wrapped or covered cake at room temperature for up to three days.