Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake

A light and fluffy lemon cake made with olive oil and topped with lemon vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Servings 16

Ingredients
Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake:
1 cup Telegraph Hill Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Eggs
1 1/3 cup Whole Milk
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Zest
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt

Filling:
1 cup Lemon Curd
Lemon Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup Butter softened
1 - 8 ounce package Cream Cheese softened
4 cups Powdered Sugar may need 1/4 cup more depending on consistency
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Zest plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla or Vanilla Beans optional

Garnish: Lemon Zest, Blackberries, Mint

Instructions
Preheat oven to 185°c.
In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil, eggs, whole milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cream for 2 minutes. In large bowl, add sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into egg mixture and fold. Spray two 9-inch or three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Place batter into baking pans. If using three 8-inch pans, bake for 20-26 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. If using two 9-inch pans, bake for 30-36 minutes. Cool.

To make frosting:
In a large bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl often. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest and cream together. Chill.

To assemble cake:
Remove cakes from pan. Spread frosting on top of one cooled cake layer. Place other cooled cake layer on top and spread frosting all over. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh blackberries.
Optional: Spread lemon curd on first cake layer and then top with frosting.
Let chill for 20-30 minutes to let the frosting set up.