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.
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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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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!