These cakelets are perfect for sharing and gifting. They're easily transportable and look so impressive that your loved ones will hardly believe they’re homemade. They’re light, moist & fluffy mini cakes made with fruity olive oil and perfumey lemon zest. Neither flavour is overpowering, but they are complementary. Even the tart icing is slightly mellowed by the earthiness of the olive oil in the sponge, which makes every bite a multilayered and delightful experience.

Makes: 18, Time: 1hr

Ingredients

175g Sugar
175ml/140g Olive Oil
Zest and Juice of 2 Large Lemons (approx. 50g zest & 100ml juice)
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
175g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
250g Icing Sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C Fan/180°C/Gas Mark 4
Grease and flour 2 deep cupcake trays/muffin trays
Into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and zest of both lemons, and mix well to release the oils from the zest
Add in the olive oil and whisk well
Add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk until slightly bubbly (about 2 mins)
Add in the juice of 1 lemon (50ml), and mix
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and stir into the batter with a wooden spoon until just combined
Divide the batter into the prepared trays, and fill each cup about halfway
Bake for 20-25 mins, or until slightly golden and the cakes spring back when pressed in the centre
As the cakes cool, prepare the icing by adding the remaining lemon juice to a bowl
Then add the icing sugar and whisk until smooth
Loosen the cakes from the trays using a butter knife
Once fully cooled, gently dip the bottoms of the cakes into the icing & place on a serving plate (inverted so that the bottoms are now the tops, and so the icing drips a little)
Add garnish of choice (I like to use sliced lemon zest)