Italian Honeycrisp Apple Olive-Oil Cake

In Italian home baking, olive oil often stands in for butter, yielding cakes with a moist crumb and gentle fruitiness. Here, Honeycrisp apples and lemon zest bring bright sweetness to a simple weeknight-friendly dessert.

Serves 8 · 20 min prep · 45 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 340 cal
• 4g protein
• 42g carbs
• 18g fat

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment so the cake releases cleanly.
2. 2In a large bowl whisk the olive oil and granulated sugar vigorously until the mixture looks slightly thickened and pale.
3. 3Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla and lemon zest.
4. 4In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
5. 5Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain; the batter will be smooth and pourable.
6. 6Arrange half of the thinly sliced apples in a single layer over the bottom of the prepared pan.
7. 7Pour the batter evenly over the apples, then gently press the remaining apple slices on top in a decorative pattern.
8. 8Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is golden, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. 9Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate, peel off the parchment, and flip right-side up.
10. 10Dust generously with powdered sugar just before slicing and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.