The secret to this intensely lemony cake? Olive oil instead of butter! It’s a classic Mediterranean approach that gives this simple cake its incredibly moist, tender crumb and rich flavor.
I’ve developed hundreds of lemon recipes over the years, so I know exactly what I want from a lemon cake. This one has the bright flavor I want, with a soft, incredibly moist crumb from the olive oil. For me, it’s the ultimate lemon cake.
🍋 Bright lemon flavor ~ made with 3 fresh lemons (and no extract.)
🍋 Stays moist for days ~ olive oil keeps the crumb soft and tender
🍋 Simple one-layer cake ~ no frosting, just powdered sugar
You won’t taste the olive oil (unless you want to!)
One of the best things about baking with olive oil is that you get to decide how much of its flavor comes through. A pure or mild olive oil is virtually undetectable in the finished cake, letting the lemon take center stage. A more robust extra virgin olive oil brings fruity, grassy, or even slightly peppery notes. It’s completely up to you!
What’s your lemon olive oil cake style?
- Just give me the lemon
- Look for bottles labeled Pure, Classic, or Extra Light Taste. These are the most neutral choices, giving you all the moisture of olive oil while letting the lemon take center stage. Avoid anything that says Extra Virgin.
- I think I’d like a hint of olive oil
- Look for Mild, Smooth Taste, or Delicate extra virgin olive oil. You’ll get a subtle olive oil flavor in the background without losing that bright lemon character.
- I’m up for a bolder olive oil flavor!
- Choose an extra virgin olive oil labeled Rich Taste or Robust, preferably one described as fruity. It adds a deeper, richer background flavor that complements the lemon beautifully.
No wimpy lemon flavor here ~ lots of fresh juice and zest
If you’re a lemon lover like me, you’ve probably made a lemon cake or two that didn’t quite deliver. Getting that bright, tart lemon flavor into baked goods can be surprisingly tricky, and it’s something I’m always working on in my lemon recipes. This one gets it right with fresh lemon juice and zest, no extract needed.
Sue’s baking tips
- Grease your springform pan well, and make sure it’s in good condition. This batter is on the liquid-y side, so wrap the bottom seam and lower sides snugly with heavy-duty foil to help prevent leaks. You’ll place the pan directly on the oven rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips.
- Don’t skimp on the lemon zest, make sure you zest the whole lemons and that you get 1/2 cup of juice from your 3 lemons.
- Don’t over-mix your batter once you’ve added the flour or you will get a gummy texture.
- Check for doneness. Oven temperatures vary, and the top may look done before the center is fully baked. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Let that be your guide rather than the clock.
- Allow the cake to cool partially in the pan before attempting to release it. Run a thin butter knife around the edges if it seems like it’s a bit stuck.
Reader wisdom: tips & tweaks
The comments on this cake have been so much fun to read! You called it lemon curd in cake form, the best lemon cake I’ve ever had, and even the only cake recipe I will make from now on.
Along the way, you’ve shared some clever tweaks and great discoveries ~ here are a few of my favorites.
- Play with the citrus. Readers have had great results using Meyer lemons, a combination of lemon and orange, and even lemon-infused olive oil for extra citrus flavor.
- Make it dairy-free. Both oat milk and almond milk have worked beautifully in place of whole milk.
- Try gluten-free. Readers report success with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum.
- Prefer less sugar? Several readers have reduced the sugar from 1½ cups to 1 cup with good results. The cake will be a little less sweet and may brown less.
- Dress it up! Some reader favorites include a layer of lemon curd, fresh berries and whipped cream, or blueberry compote.
- Make it ahead. This cake freezes beautifully. Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for another day.
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Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9" springform pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil , see notes in the post about choosing an olive oil for this recipe.
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling the top
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- zest from 3 lemons
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan well. Wrap the bottom seam and lower sides snugly with heavy-duty foil to help prevent leaks. You'll place the pan directly on the oven rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drips.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cup olive oil , 3 large eggs, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar.
- Add the 2 tsp vanilla extract, zest from 3 lemons and 1/2 cup lemon juice. Whisk briefly to combine.
- Sift together the 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 2 cups all purpose flour. Alternating with the 1 cup whole milk, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in a couple of batches. Try not to over-mix at this stage, you just want to combine everything until no streaks of dry flour remain.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan. Sprinkle the additional 2 Tbsp of granulated sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the cake is risen, lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the very center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Baking times can vary, so check the center rather than relying on color alone. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil and continue baking until done.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove the cake from the springform pan and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.
- When cool, dust the top with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
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Almond Olive Oil Cake
If you haven’t baked with olive oil yet, start here ~ this simple almond olive oil cake is soft, moist, and so easy to get right.
This recipe is perfect! I’ve made it 3 times already and my family loves it. Wondering if this recipe would work in a muffin pan? Making it easier to have individual portions?
This recipe is so different from a traditional muffin batter, I’m not exactly sure how they would work, but I think it’s worth a try! They might not look very “muffin-y” but you should be able to get nice little individually sized cakes. I’d use muffin-tin liners and check on them in the oven a couple times to get the timing right. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
I made this today, and WOW! Now will be my indulgence of choice – light, love the sweet savory flavor panel. And the bonus of olive oil over butter makes it such a great choice! Thank you! This was fabulous!
Thanks Sandy! I agree, this one has got such amazing texture and flavor.
I made this recipe using the metric conversion and unfortunately the cake came out like a thick, very oily pancake. I believe there is way too much oil vs flour here – at least for the metric measurements the ratio in the recipe must be off. Having read the comments, I noticed that someone had also commented on the same issue, so I would not recommend relying on the metric measurements. It’s a shame as the cake baked to a nice colour.
The metric measurements are auto calculated Kasia, I’ll see if I can confirm them. Sorry you had trouble!
Can you back this cake in a Bundt pan?
No, it won’t work in a bundt pan, I’m afraid. It’s much too delicate and moist, and needs the flat pan shape to bake through correctly.
I’ve just baked it in a bundt and it turned out beautifully, though I halved the recipe and whipped the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy before adding the oil, so maybe that made a difference?
I’m a diabetic. Can I use a sugar substitute? The recipe looks delicious!!!!
That should be fine but for best results use one in granulated form made to work in a 1:1 ratio with regular sugar.
Why alternate the milk? Why not just add the milk with the liquids?
Hey all…I just made this lemon cake, I had to keep checking it for doneness, ended up baking it for 65 minutes. I realize that ovens and pans can vary, however, I have found it helpful for some cake recipes to know which position oven rack to bake it on, should this cake be on the middle rack or lower third rack? Overall, this cake turned out great, I have already given the recipe to 4 friends.
Looking forward to your response…Thanks!
Thanks so much, glad you loved the cake and thanks for sharing with your friends! I almost always bake on the middle rack.
Hey Sue… re which rack to bake your lemon olive oil cake on, meant to also ask if the center rack is the best choice for both an electric and gas oven? Thanks again! Cheers..
Yes, the middle rack is good for both.
This is divine!! I love love love citrus, and this cake is exactly what I was looking for. I made it with almond milk in a square pan and had no troubles!!
It’s perfect!
It came out custard-like, not cake-like, but it is so good!! I’m not sure. Perhaps next time, less liquid?