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
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 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.
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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What a fantastic recipe! I needed a last-minute dessert and came across this. I only had one lemon so I used the zest and juice from an entire orange and half a lemon. Also didn’t have whole milk but used 3/4 C 1.5% milk and 1/4 C half and half. Lastly, I used cake flour instead of AP flour. I had to bake the cake for a full 75 minutes for it to set; so much longer than expected that I thought maybe I’d left out a 1/2 C of flour. It turned out magnificently and was a big hit at my New Year’s Eve party. Thanks for the recipe!
We did increase the lemon zest without even trying it as we love lemon. My daughter did the zesting not sure how many…. prob 7 small homegrown lemons. it was GREAT. wanted to ask if we could use a little less olive oil? we wouldnt mind it a bit drier …. how much do you think we could reduce without compromise? THANKS
Hey Claudine ~ I think you could try reducing the olive oil to 3/4 cup or even 2/3 without an issue. Let us know how it goes!
Do you think I could make this in a Bundt pan!?
I wouldn’t recommend it but I recall some readers have had success.
This is such an easy and delicious recipe and I will definitely be making it again! It is so flavorful with the lemon and very light. I baked this recipe in three 6 inch cake pans and paired it with lavender butter cream. It came out fantastic and everyone loved it.
If I wanted to make a basic olive oil cake, would it be okay to not add the lemon juice and lemon zest?
So glad you enjoyed this Tani. You can certainly leave out the lemon zest, but I think you’d need to substitute another liquid for the lemon juice. Possibly more milk.
Best olive oil cake!! I use half lemon half orange. So yummy.
I made this cake and everyone loved it! What flour is best to use to make this gluten free (and would it be the same amount)?
Glad you loved this Olgi. I haven’t tried this with gluten free flour so I can’t really guide you. I usually suggest a good quality gf baking mix, made for substituting all purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio, to start with.
I bake this cake often..We feel so much better using olive oil instead of butter…It is so good with coffee in the morning…
This was amazing, so good!! Do you think this could be made in regular loaf pans, maybe splitting the batter in two? I want to make them as Christmas gifts with cute loaf pans I found…thanks for your advice.
Glad you loved this Desiree. I’m not sure it will bake up in mini loaves, I think you’d have to experiment. Sorry I can’t be more definitive!
Have you ever substituted lime for lemon ?
I haven’t, but I suspect it might have a bitter taste. You’d probably want to use a very mild olive oil.
Could I substitute the whole Mike for a DF option? What would you recommend for the best substitution?
I haven’t tried personally, but I assume almond or soy should work. Coconut would affect the flavor.
I loved how simple this recipe is and more importantly, how delicious it is!!!! Can it be frozen?
Yes, it will freeze well.