Lovely light and moist mini olive oil lemon cakes, bursting with lemon flavour and a hint of fresh thyme. Topped with a sweet glaze.

lemon thyme olive oil cakes on white background

These lovely little lemon thyme olive oil cakes are deliciously moist and light with just enough citrus flavour. I also loved the petite size. Built in portion control :)

Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Lemons – made my cakes with Meyer Lemons, but it would work equally well with regular lemons or oranges (or any citrus really).

Olive Oil – a good quality, extra-virgin olive oil will produce the best results here.

Thyme – fresh thyme is best here, though you could use a bit of dried thyme leaves in a pinch. Adjust the amount to your taste.

Recipe tips!

  • Whatever pan you use though, be sure not to fill the cup more that about 2/3 full, as they will rise a bit. I baked my tin on a baking sheet, just to be safe, but as long as you don’t over-fill, you’ll be fine.
  • These cakes got more moist the longer they sat, so they’re great for making a bit ahead. I also froze the extras, to enjoy later.
lemon thyme olive oil cakes on white background

Making ahead, storing and freezing

As noted above, these cakes actually improve in flavour and texture if they sit a bit, so are perfect for making ahead. That said, as these are mini-cakes, they will dry out more quickly that a larger cake. I suggest enjoying within 24 hours of baking, being sure to wrap tightly once cooled.

These lemon olive oil cakes also freeze well for up to 3 months.

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mini lemon thyme olive oil cakes on table

Get the Recipe: Glazed Mini Lemon Thyme Olive Oil Cakes

These are lovely little cakes that make a perfect little something after dinner or enjoy them for an afternoon treat with tea. Perfect for entertaining, these cakes actually get more moist over time, so they are perfect if you need to make something a little ahead.
5 stars from 3 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 mini cakes

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 1/3 cups white granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish

For the Glaze:

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’/icing sugar
  • 3 1/2 to 4 Tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 to 2 lemons
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. (non-convection) with the rack in the centre of the oven. Prepare a 6, 8 or 12-cup metal or silicone mini cake/bundt or muffin pan. For a tin pan, brush with melted butter, dust with flour and shake out the excess.
  • In a blender or food processor, pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a blender until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil and milk, pulsing until emulsified into a thin batter. Don’t over-blend or the cakes will be too puffy.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp. thyme. Add this flour mixture to the blender/food processor in 2 batches, pulsing lightly until just combined. Stop to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan to no more than 2/3 full (as they will rise). Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched, 22 to 25 minutes for a 12-cup Bundt or muffin pan or 28 to 30 minutes for a 6-cup Bundt pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small knife and invert the cakes onto a rack.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth, adding more lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle over the warm cakes and garnish with thyme sprigs.

Notes

Tips!
  • Whatever pan you use though, be sure not to fill the cup more that about 2/3 full, as they will rise a bit. I baked my tin on a baking sheet, just to be safe, but as long as you don’t over-fill, you’ll be fine.
  • These cakes got more moist the longer they sat, so they’re great for making a bit ahead. I also froze the extras, to enjoy later.
Be sure to read the notes above the Recipe Card, for more tips, options, substitutions and variations for this recipe!
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 401kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 145mg, Potassium: 89mg, Sugar: 56g, Vitamin A: 230IU, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 1mg
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