Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone and Lemon Curd

This is post is for the mom in my life, that I love dearly.  She is an amazing lady.  She is now 80 years old and is a missionary for our church in Kona, Hawaii.  She has followed my dad around the world as a missionary for many years.  They have served in Tahiti twice, New Zealand, and now Kona.

This post is, also, for the children that I have that have made parenting a non-stop adventure. I’d like to thank my daughter, Tiffany, for giving me so many stories to tell and for helping me with photography and styling.

When my youngest daughter was about 5 years old, the two of us learned a very interesting lesson.  She had returned home from playing with a friend.  I noticed she had a tube of LipSmacker lip balm in her pocket.  I asked her where she got it.  She replied that she had taken it from her friend.  I asked her if she had taken the LipSmacker without permission.  She nodded in the affirmative.

Oh GREAT!  She’s a thief.  A five year old thief!

I explained that we shouldn’t take things that don’t belong to us without permission and that we would have to go right back to her friends house to return it.  I told her that she would need to apologize.  I’m sure it was a very long car ride for her.  She returned the lip balm without a lot of remorse. The conversation went something like this:

Me:  Tiffany what do you say?
Tiffany:  I’m sorry I took your LipSmacker
Me:  And??
Tiffany:  And what?
Me:  And in will NEVER happen again.
Tiffany:  I don’t know, it might!

I looked at her friend’s mother and shrugged my shoulders and muttered, “I tried.”

My mother taught me the same lesson when I was about the same age as Tiffany.  While grocery shopping with my mom I noticed an-already-chewed piece of gum sitting on top of a Campbell’s soup can.  I picked it off the can and ate it.  When my mom noticed that I was chewing gum, she took me to the store manager to apologize for stealing the gum.  I told both of them that I did not steal the gum, but I just borrowed some gum that someone else no longer wanted.  I knew from that moment on, that my mom was always trying to teach me core values. We all love our moms.

This cake is simple to mix together and is tart and refreshing.  I think you’re going to love it.

For the cake you will need:

1 cup (120 g) flour
1/2 cup (60 gr) almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon olive oil or light flavored olive oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

High altitude adjustments above 4,000 ft:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup lemon olive oil or light flavored olive oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Lightly butter and flour a 6-inch pan with 3-inch sides or an 8-inch pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix flour and almond flour.

Add baking powder and salt.

Whisk together then set aside.

Add eggs to a mixing bowl.

Beat until lighter yellow and foamy.

Add sugar while beating and mix until thick and mixture ribbons off of the beaters.

With the mixer running, slowly add olive oil.

Add almond milk.

Lemon zest.

Vanilla.

Lemon juice.  Mix all together.

Slowly add flour while mixing.  Beat only until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in a 350 F degree oven for 35-40 minutes.

Cake will be golden brown and will spring back when lighter touched.

Let cool in pan for 5 minutes then remove from pan and place on a cooling rack.  Cool completely.

For the mascarpone icing and filling you will need:

8 oz. mascarpone
1 cup lemon curd divided
1/2 cup whipping cream

You can use purchased lemon curd, but you should really try making your own.  It’s so good you will eat it with a spoon.

In a medium size bowl and mascarpone and 1/2 cup lemon curd.

Mix until creamy.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream until thick.

Fold cream into mascarpone mixture.

Slice cake into three layers.  If making an 8-inch cake, slice into two layers.

Spread 3 tablespoons of lemon curd on first layer.

Spread 1/3 of mascarpone mixture over lemon curd.

Repeat on second layer.  Spreading another 3 tablespoons lemon curd.

Repeat with 1/3 of mascarpone cream.

Ice the top and sides of the cake with remaining mascarpone cream mixture.

Refrigerate for a good 4 hours to allow flavors to blend and the cake will set up nicely and will be easy to slice.

Celebrate the mom in your life with a delicious lemon cake.  She will love you forever…she will anyway.  She will just forget about the many times we made her life less than enjoyable.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone and Lemon Curd

Cake:
1 cup (120 g) flour
1/2 cup (60 gr) almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon olive oil or light flavored olive oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Mascarpone icing:
8 oz. mascarpone
1 cup lemon curd
1/2 cup whipping cream

For cake: Preheat oven to 350 (180C) degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly butter and flour a 6-inch round cake pan.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy.  Add sugar and beat until mixture has thickened and is pale yellow.   While mixing, slowly drizzle in the lemon olive oil.  Add almond milk, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Mix until well blended.  In a small bowl whisk together flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture and mix until batter is smooth.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and when cake springs back when lightly touched.  Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes. Invert to a cooling rack and cook completely.

For Mascarpone icing:  In a small mixing bowl whip cream until thick.  Set aside.  In a medium size mixing bowl mix mascarpone and 1/2 cup lemon curd.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in reserved whipping cream.

To assemble:  Slice cake into 3 layers.  Place bottom layer on a platter and spread with 2 tablespoons lemon curd and 1/3 mascarpone mixture.  Repeat for second layer.    Place last layer on top and spread remaining mascaprone on top.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.  Makes one 6-inch layer cake.

High altitude adjustments for cake:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup lemon olive oil or light flavored olive oil
1/2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon

Mix and bake as directed above.

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