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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Has anyone tried this in a loaf pan?
I haven’t, but I worry that the depth of a loaf cake wouldn’t work with this recipe because it’s so moist.
Can the cake batter be made ahead of time and baked later?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure, sorry Nani!
I do love this cake, its the right amout of lemon and oh so moist! BUT I needed to bake it longer , but still so very good!
Never rely on a recipe’s baking time, lol. There is such variation in ovens that you almost always have to go it on your own 🙂
Hello. I just took this cake out if the oven and the top is cracked… like the Mojave desert. What did I do wrong? Baked for 50 minutes. Also, I was worried about all the tiny lumps of flour with simply stirring, so I whisked it a little with every addition of flour.
Smells heavenly tho!.
Thank you,. Camilla
I plan to make this cake, but only have a 10 inch springform pan. What do you suggest? Should I make a 1.5 recipe?
It’s a tricky recipe to mess with, so I’m not sure what to tell you. I haven’t tried it either way, so you’ll have to experiment. I might try it in the 10 inch pan with the same recipe, no adjustments. The cooking time should be shorter.
I just made this cake and am serving it tomorrow. How should i store for best results and should i remove from the springform today or tomorrow?
I’d remove the sides of the pan today, it’s a very moist cake and won’t dry out. I would store loosely covered or under a cake dome, on the counter.
I reduced the sugar by 1/3 and it was still plenty sweet. So moist and delicious and turns out well every time. Also good with half graham flour.
I love graham flour!
I want to try this cake! Can it be made with Meyer lemons or do you need the tarter taste of regular supermarket lemons?
I think it would be delicious with Meyers.
I made this recipe with the same expectations I have making anyone else’s recipes, that I will fail at something. Well folks I did not and boy did this cake surprise me. I’m so in love with this recipe!! Wonderful cake!!
Yay Sarah! thanks for the review 🙂
This cake was SO delicious! Made it for a work potluck and a dinner party, and everyone loved it with several asking for recipe! Had to make a few alterations due to what I had on hand: juice and zest from just 2 lemons, so I added a touch of lemon extract; I love coconut so I added a little coconut extract as well; only had vanilla coconut milk instead of whole milk and that worked fine; divided the olive oil to 1/2c quality extra virgin and 1/2c quality citrus olive oil; I used 6″ cake pans instead of the spring form (mainly because I think small cakes are just cuter but also I needed a dessert for two different occasions), batter was perfect for two cakes. The cook time was about 65min, maybe a bit longer with the two pans, at 350, and I did loosely tent with foil to keep from browning. Lastly, I topped with a powdered sugar glaze (with added sweetened coconut). Thanks for sharing this delicious cake recipe!