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 Berryโs Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Lemon Yogurt Breakfast Cake (Ciambella)
- Blueberry Lemon Cake
- Lemon Layer Cake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting
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 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.
It was so good. Used one-to-one gluten free baking flour and a combo of cocojune coconut yoghurt and coconut drinking milk (Calafia) for the milk. It was perfect!
Hi. I have a question . Iโm debating between this recipe an and your Meyer Lemon cake. Could you use the whole blended lemons in this recipe. Instead of the lemon juice and lemon peel? Or Zet I mean? I want to make it for this weekend. Thank you
This recipe is so specific that I can’t recommend that change since I haven’t tried it. If you used the same volume I can’t see why it wouldn’t work, though.
Thank you. I think I will stick to the original recipes. They both look delicious.
This recipe is delicious. The cake turns out so moist, almost too moist, but I liked it. I added a small amount of lemon drizzle and served it with strawberries which was a great pairing.
The lemon flavor is fantastic and the recipe is quite easy. I did not use a springform pan but I did place parchment paper on the bottom and greased the pan heavily with butter. The cake separated from the pan perfectly.
This cake was a huge hit with my husband and three year old – they blew through the cake within two days – so I am making it for my mom for her birthday! It is just so darn delicious. It makes such a tender, moist, delicate cake and the recipe really is not very fussy. I can get it in the oven after maybe 10-15 minutes hands on time.
Itโs delicious as but would be great with extra zest – the punchier the better. I use Meyer lemons which really have the best, most pungent flavor. I found mine baked perfectly at exactly 350F in my convection oven for exactly 50 minutes. I did put foil on top for the last 15 minutes to prevent over browning.
Would be especially lovely with a lemon glaze on top but I havenโt tried that yet!
This recipe looks amazing! I am excited to try it. Can I make them in a muffin tin? If so, how long should I cook them?
I haven’t tried that M, and not sure if a reader has, somewhere in the comments. Normally a muffin might take 18-22 minutes, but depending on size, these might need longer time.
It seemed to oily for me. If I make it again I’d reduce oil by 1/4 cup and increase flour by 1/4 cup
This was everything I wanted to satisfy a craving for olive oil cake! It was the perfect amount of batter for my new Nordic Ware honeycomb pull-apart pan. The edges are perfectly crisp and the cake is soft and moist. Tasty without being overly sweet. I didn’t have whole milk so I used half greek yogurt and half almond milk.
How would you suggest storing the leftovers? I usually just bake for myself. Thank you!
So happy you loved this! I feel comfortable leaving the cake at room temperature, but it won’t hurt to refrigerate it, either.
I used almond milk and the cake came out delicious
Thanks Lois, good to know.