On the menu: Lemon olive oil cake with local honey

At MUST, the holiday season is synonymous with simple pleasures and presents to give or keep! Our Christmas basket embraces this spirit with its indulgent mix of useful and delicious gifts. Laura, foodie and founder of the blog Dash of Honey, drew inspiration from our Christmas basket to create a savoury cake using lemon olive oil and wildflower honey.

So, say goodbye to the traditional yule log and bake a light, succulent and fluffy dessert that will wow the whole table this festive season. Now, come on. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to discover the baking tips and key ingredients you’ll need to create this can’t-miss cake!

As the founder of culinary blog Dash of Honey,, Laura is passionate about cooking and the joy of eating well. She creates fresh, healthy and flavourful recipes with a focus on seasonal ingredients. For Laura, attention to detail makes all the difference when it comes to both presentation and taste.

Our Christmas Basket, a MUST!

A collection of products from near and far, our gift basket features a rubberwood breadboard, Christmas candle, reusable tote, locally made chocolate bar and two products you’ll need for this recipe:

A bottle of lemon-flavoured olive oil from La Bottega Nicastro.
A jar of unpasteurized wildflower honey from emerging Montreal brand Les Capteurs de Miel.

Olive oil in cake?

Olive oil is not just for savoury dishes or salad dressings. In a cake, it adds a rich flavour, while helping it stay moist. The extra virgin variety from La Bottega Nicastro featured here has everything you’d expect from a premium Italian olive oil, along with a subtle lemon aroma.

Wildflower honey

We’re big fans of Les Capteurs de Miel’s unpasteurized raw honey. This exceptional product comes from uncultivated land, dotted with wildflowers and fruit trees in Lac-St-Jean. It’s a full-bodied, amber-coloured honey that pairs beautifully with the olive oil in this cake.

A few tips and tricks to bake the perfect cake

1. Use a circular pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Be sure to brush the sides of the pan with oil to make unmoulding the cake easier.

2. Sift the sugar and flour. This will help separate impurities and break up any lumps!

3. Take your eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead of time, so they’re at room temperature when you’re ready to bake. That way, you’ll have an easier time mixing them with the rest of the ingredients.

4. Use a toothpick to check the doneness of the cake. Simply insert it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is done; however, if you spot any raw batter, let the cake bake a little longer. Cooking time will vary depending on the make and model of your oven.

The finishing touch!

Using a sieve, sprinkle icing sugar on top of cake and garnish with lemon wedges and rosemary. Enjoy!

Recipe

Portion size: 8 to 10 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Baking time: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

3 eggs
1 bottle (250ml) of lemon-flavoured extra virgin olive oil from La Bottega Nicastro
¼ cup of raw honey from Les Capteurs de Miel
1 tsp. of vanilla extract
1 cup of milk (animal-based or vegan)
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 lemons (about 5 tbsp.)
1 cup of white sugar
2 cups all-purpose white flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt

Garnish: icing sugar, lemon wedges & rosemary

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a rack in the middle. Brush a 9- or 10-inch circular cake pan with butter or oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a round piece of parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, honey and vanilla. Then, add the milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar. Mix well.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour the mixture into the cake pan.

5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Check the doneness of the cake with a toothpick. Let it sit in the pan for 15 minutes. Next, remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack or plate.

6. Sprinkle icing sugar on the cake. Garnish with lemon and rosemary wedges.