This is the cake to bake on a Sunday afternoon and slice from all week: olive oil keeps the crumb tender for days, lemon and cardamom keep it bright, and saffron bloomed in warm milk gives every slice a deep golden interior. It needs no frosting — just a dusting of powdered sugar and, ideally, a quiet hour with coffee.
At a glance
Serves 8–10
Prep: 15 min
Bake: 35–40 min
Saffron: 15 threads (≈0.06 g)
Ingredients
- 15 threads Raihan Afghan Super Negin saffron, bloomed in 2 tbsp warm milk
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and line a 9-inch round pan.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom.
- In another bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs until pale. Whisk in milk, lemon zest and juice, and saffron bloom (with threads).
- Fold dry into wet until just combined.
- Pour into pan. Bake 35–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
Chef's note
Reach for a mellow, buttery olive oil here rather than a sharply peppery one — you want it to carry the saffron, not compete with it. Note that the bloom goes in threads and all: they continue seasoning the crumb as the cake bakes and leave fine crimson flecks in each golden slice.
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