Lemon olive oil cake is a deliciously moist and tender Mediterranean style lemon cake perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!
what is an olive oil cake? (ciambellone)
Olive oil cakes are made with olive oil instead of butter or other vegetable oil as the primary fat ~ they have been a special part of celebrating the olive harvest across the Mediterranean. Olive oil adds a subtle fruity flavor to cake, as well as plenty of moisture ~ olive oil cakes stay moist for days! I love this cake so much I’ve made a chocolate olive oil cake, too!
does this cake taste like olive oil?
- That’s going to depend on the kind of olive oil you use, but generally speaking this recipe won’t produce a cake that tastes strongly of olive oil.
- ‘Pure’ or ‘regular’ olive oil is what I used and could only barely discern it in the background, which was perfect with the lemon.
- If you want a stronger taste, you can use ‘extra virgin’ olive oil, which is unrefined and has a bold olive flavor.
- If you don’t want any hint of olive oil flavor, you can use one of the ‘light’ olive oils on the market now, or any other kind of neutral cooking oil you like.
- The combination of the lemon, vanilla, and a hint of olive oil makes for a simple but complexly flavored cake.
this cake does not disappoint on the lemon front, either!
If you’re a lemon lover like me, you’ve probably made some lemon cakes or desserts in the past that just didn’t deliver on the lemon flavor. It can be a challenge, and I’m always striving to make my lemon recipes sing with that tart lemony flavor you and I love. Sometimes I use lemon extract to achieve that result, but here I’ve used three whole lemons and their zest for an unmistakable citrusy punch, no additional flavoring necessary.
tips for baking a great lemon olive oil cake
- Grease your springform pan well, and make sure it’s in good condition. This batter is on the liquid-y side, so you may want to place a large baking sheet underneath your pan to catch any drips. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan tightly with foil to prevent leaks.
- Don’t skimp on the lemon zest, make sure you zest the whole lemon and that you get at least 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.
- 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.
why this is the best lemon olive oil cake ever
I set out to make the perfect version of a classic lemon olive oil cake here, and I think I succeeded! Here’s why:
- The amount of oil is perfect, just enough to ensure a super moist texture, but not so much that you get an oily cake.
- I’ve also packed it with plenty of lemon flavor, complimented by aromatic vanilla extract which pairs beautifully with that hint of olive oil in the background
we can’t get enough lemon cakes
- Lemon Chiffon Cake
- Lemon Crunch Cake
- Mary Berry’s Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Lemon Yogurt Breakfast Cake (Ciambella)
- Blueberry Lemon Cake
- Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
My lemon olive oil cake is a moist and tender cake with a surprisingly bright lemon flavor.
Servings: 12 servings
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 350F. Prepare a 9" springform pan by greasing the bottom and the sides well, and lining the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Wrap the outside with foil to prevent leaks.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, eggs, and sugar.
- Add the vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk briefly to combine.
- Sift together the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Alternating with the 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 2 tbsp of granulated sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. The cake should be risen and starting to turn a bit golden brown on the top. Note: ovens vary greatly and you may need to bake your cake longer to get it done in the center. I recommend laying a loose piece of foil over the top of your cake if yours seems to be getting very brown towards the end of cooking.
- 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.
Video
Notes
A Note About Baking Time: Home ovens are not very precise. Many home ovens can be off by 25°F or more from the set temperature. This means that if you set your oven to 350°F  it might actually be at 325°F. Monitor baking time closely, as it can vary. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness—it should come out clean or with a few crumbs. If there is obvious wet batter clinging to it, bake your cake a little longer.
Nutrition
Calories: 366 kcal · Carbohydrates: 43 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 20 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 14 g · Trans Fat: 0.01 g · Cholesterol: 49 mg · Sodium: 266 mg · Potassium: 99 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 26 g · Vitamin A: 101 IU · Vitamin C: 4 mg · Calcium: 44 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Hi would you please indicate how many millitres in 1 cup of oil and milk rather than in
grams or cups as these vary from country to country
Either one would be 236 mL
I am an introvert and usually don’t air my opinions. But, I need to say something about this recipe. Upon reading the recipe, I was a bit skeptical because of the amount of liquid the recipe calls for. Moreover, for some reason I always avoid recipes that call for baking soda. Well, I’m glad I used this recipe because the cake is moist and delicious!!
I used European extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for a bold, fruity, and strong taste. The EVOO and the brightness of the lemon combined are amazing. I spent three years in Spain and Portugal so I love everything with EVOO. The only thing I did not use is milk. I felt like my batter was ok without it and the cake (in a loaf pan) turned out just fine.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe and thanks to those who’ve posted reviews on this recipe. I trusted your reviews hence this post.
I made this as a last-minute addition to our Mother’s Day Brunch today because I needed just one more thing – and it was soooo good! Because it was last-minute, I made do with what I had on hand. Only had 2 lemons, so I swapped in an orange. Needed it to be dairy-free, so I used Nutpods vanilla creamer. Added 1/2 teaspoon of King Arthur’s Fiori di Sicilia extract (match made in heaven!!!). I am adding this recipe to my files!
One more note: I baked this in a Bundt pan (the Nordic Ware stained glass Bundt pan, which I bought a few years ago, specifically for your Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake) and it turned out beautifully. Same temp and time as the original recipe. I sprayed the pan liberally with Pam Baking spray (the one with flour) and let it cool for about an hour before I turned it out. Once fully cooled, I dusted it with powdered sugar and it was stunning!
I made this recently and it was so SO good! I want to make it for my mom, who is vegan! Do you think it would work with flax eggs or another egg substitute?
Glad you loved this cake Rebekah. I recommend using a quality brand egg replacer made for baking. You’ll have the best luck with that, I think. Bob’s Red Mill makes one that has good reviews.
I have made this cake so many times and it’s beautiful. I have even substituted the flour for gluten free flour and substituted milk for almond milk . Turns out wonderfully . I just use a deep round cake tin lined well and lower the oven temp a bit and therefore adjust the cooking time accordingly. I always have so many compliments with this cake .
I made it and used a combo of lf milk with 1 tbsp of whole milk powder (Nidia). Cake was baked is 2 round dark cake pans for 40 minutes and came.out perfectly.
This sounds great: Would I be able to bake this in a loaf pan?
I haven’t tried, but I don’t think so, the cake is very moist and that shape would make it very difficult to cook through properly.
Just made this cake in a loaf pan. Came out perfect! I would just recommend maybe cooking it at 325° instead of 350°, and cook for 10 mins longer while checking when done because it is a deeper pan.
Oh wow, Ella, thanks for the report. I wouldn’t have thought that would work, so great to know.
This looks great and was recommend to me. Can I use another pan, other than spring form? Thank you.
Yes, you can use the same size round cake pan, but be aware that you will not be able to turn it out easily, so likely will need to serve it right from the pan.
I made this last weekend with Meyer lemons – it was just as good as I hoped it would be!! Very moist, not overly sweet, and the sugary crunch on top was the perfect touch. I will definitely make this again!
This cake is so amazing! Used our own extra virgin olive oil and I think this cake is gonna become a staple!