can’t help myself

December 18 2009 by Kristin at The Kitchen Sink in Uncategorized » 20 comments

True story. On the way into work yesterday morning, my high heels clicking against the sidewalk and my scarf wound right up under my chin and my shoulders hunched against the chill, my mind wandered to the two clementines I had tucked into my bag before I left home. Small, orange, juicy and perfect. They were my happy place—sad as that might be.

In fact, I’ve been leaning on citrus pretty heavily lately—and it’s only December. It could be a long winter. Usually I don’t turn to citrus until January, when the holidays have faded, leaving me feeling empty and forelorn. Their sunny skins and puckery juices and bright scents are enough to lift me out those post-holiday doldrums.

This year though, I’m already eating grapefruit for breakfast and a palm-sized clementine every couple hours. And I’m sneaking lemons and limes into baked goods. I’m like a little kid who snoops for her Christmas gifts before the 25th rolls around, even though she knows she’ll regret it later, when she has nothing to look forward to on Christmas morning. Like her, I can’t help myself.

Which is where this cake comes in. I made it for a brunch we ate with Kevin’s parents to celebrate Hanukkah. I liked that the cake called for olive oil, which I just learned was the oil that burned for eight nights, and that it was only gently sweet and thus brunch appropriate. But it was the lemon that really drew me to the recipe.

The cake gets a hit of lemon through both zest and juice. Beyond that, it’s a simple cake, feather-light, with a rustic, crackled, sugared surface. I served it with a dollop of crème fraîche, which was spiked with (what else?) a couple squeezes of lemon juice.

Lemon-Olive Oil Cake
Gourmet

3/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin if desired), plus additional for greasing pan
1 large lemon
1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
5 large eggs, separated, reserving 1 white for another use
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

Special equipment: a 9-inch (24-cm) springform pan; parchment paper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease springform pan with some oil, then line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Oil parchment.

Finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons and whisk together with flour. Halve lemon, then squeeze and reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Beat together yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add olive oil (3/4 cup) and reserved lemon juice, beating until just combined (mixture may appear separated). Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture (do not beat) until just combined.

Beat egg whites (from 4 eggs) with 1/2 teaspoon salt in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until foamy, then add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes.

Gently fold one third of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Transfer batter to springform pan and gently rap against work surface once or twice to release any air bubbles. Sprinkle top evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until puffed and golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of pan and remove side of pan. Cool cake to room temperature, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove bottom of pan and peel off parchment, then transfer cake to a serving plate.

20 comments so far. »
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Phoo-D says on December 18 2009 at 11:00 am:

I remember reading this recipe in Gourmet. It looks just as lovely as it sounded! I am a sucker for anything lemon- this needs to go on the list!
maggie says on December 18 2009 at 11:27 am:

Lovely—I’m starting citrus early this year, too…my standby winter salad is escarole, grapefruit, avocado, and Gilmore Girls on TV.
This cake looks so perfect; I totally spaced out that olive oil baked goods were perfect for Hanukkah.
Sarah says on December 18 2009 at 11:39 am:

That looks absolutely beautiful!
Liz Brooks says on December 18 2009 at 11:53 am:

Pretty and fresh!
KitchenVixen says on December 18 2009 at 12:36 pm:

I understand- I totally freaked out when I saw Meyer Lemons at Trader Joe’s last week. I might have squealed a bit and other shoppers looked at me strangely.
Dawn Hutchins says on December 18 2009 at 1:28 pm:

Lemony and light. I can’t imagine a better remedy for some cold weather. It definitely makes me think of summer!
Hannah says on December 18 2009 at 2:48 pm:

I love citrus too, I’ve had a clementine every day this week.

That cake looks amazing, I’m totally going to try it after christmas!
Nicole says on December 18 2009 at 9:24 pm:

Oh my goodness, that looks decadent!

I love clementines, too! Mmm!
kate says on December 19 2009 at 6:34 am:

This whole year has been about citrus for me. My baking through the spring and summer was citrus infused, and I could find my channel knife in the drawer by touch alone. And it hasn’t stopped. I’m buying citrus by the bagful. I think one aspect of it that I love so much is how the bright smell of citrus peel makes everything around me seem lighter, more hopeful and less stressful. That and citrus peel slices in the garbage disposal freshen like nothing else.

And this cake!! Wow.
hungry dog says on December 19 2009 at 10:50 am:

Sounds lovely, especially this time of year. I love citrus too and we’ve been getting more oranges and clementines from our CSA box than we can eat. Lemons and lemon-flavored things I can eat all year round!
small kitch cara says on December 20 2009 at 8:33 am:

That’s such a gorgeous cake. Might be good with one of the tangerines I have sitting in my fruit drawer. Unlike you, I keep forgetting to eat my citrus!
Devon says on December 20 2009 at 2:14 pm:

I am a lemon junkie. Your cake is going on my to-do list.
Julia says on December 20 2009 at 6:46 pm:

Gorgeous cake. All the citrus piled in pretty bowls (in the kitchen, dining room and living room) are all spoken for at the moment–I’ve been thinking about them all weekend–but I’m sure more will come rolling in…when they do, I’ll know what to make!
Bekah says on December 21 2009 at 2:02 pm:

I’m making this for Christmas dinner.

It’s decided.
Andrea says on December 21 2009 at 7:30 pm:

I am such a sucker for citrus in baked goods, and absolutely rely on the bright fruit to get me through Winter. Seeing as we just had the 4th largest snow storm in the history of Charlottesville, 2 days before the official start of Winter, I can already see that I will be consuming MUCH citrus this year.
Kasey says on December 21 2009 at 8:54 pm:

This cake sounds so great for a brunch–esp. with that dollop of creme fraiche–looks so delicate, and I can almost smell the citrus!
ingrid says on January 02 2010 at 7:48 pm:

Will you look at the crust on that? It looks dense but moist. Yet another recipe of yours that goes into my must try pile.
~ingrid
The Purple Foodie says on January 18 2010 at 1:39 am:

This looks sooo lovely! I love how the cake looks in the gorgeous blue plate. Going over to flickr to fave that photo!
Eleana says on February 03 2010 at 4:16 pm:

Is it possible to use an 8″ springform pan, is that is all I have? If so, how long do I bake it for?
Bookmarks for today: Lemons! | wonderment says on April 16 2010 at 10:29 am:

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