Lemon Olive Oil Cake

“This is a truly special dessert—the grain-free lemony cake is rich with olive oil and lemon juice and is perfectly sweet. It’s deeply satisfying and dense without being heavy. Just twelve ingredients. I could not resist sneaking in a can of gut-friendly beans, which actually lighten up the batter while adding even more prebiotic fibre and replenishing minerals like calcium. Enjoy midday with a cup of tea or maybe even sneak a piece with your morning coffee! It is plant food, after all.”– Good for Your Gut by Desiree Nielsen, Penguin Canada

Follow Desiree on IG // FB // X

Print

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings
Author Desiree Nielsen, author of Good for Your Gut

Ingredients

  • Coconut or olive oil for greasing the pan
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 can 14 ounces/398 mL white beans, rinsed and drained
  • ⅔ cup (150 mL) pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup (125 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) unsweetened oat or soy milk
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 mL) almond extract 2½ cups (625 mL) almond flour
  • ½ cup (125 mL) gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) ground flaxseed
  • 2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (2 mL) salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8-inch (1.2 L) round cake pan with coconut oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper.
  • In a high-speed blender, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, white beans, maple syrup, olive oil, oat milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Purée until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to blend. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes, until the cake is lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. A bit of cracking is normal. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the pan over a plate and tap the bottom to dislodge the cake. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool completely before slicing. Store loosely covered on the counter for up to 4 days.

Notes

Excerpted from Good for Your Gut by Desiree Nielsen. Copyright © 2022 by Desiree Nielsen. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.