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.
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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If you haven’t baked with olive oil yet, start here ~ this simple almond olive oil cake is soft, moist, and so easy to get right.
The cake was delicious but not thoroughly cooked. The middle came out like pudding. What did I do wrong?
Hi Cathy ~ it probably needed more cooking, ovens, pans, and measuring styles cary so much you can never count on an exact baking time. This is a moist cake and takes its sweet time getting done all the way through! Although, that being said, it’s supposed to be soft and moist in the center (but not gooey.)
Have you ever tried making this as individual servings, like cupcakes or muffins?
No I haven’t, but please report back if you try!
I made this cake for my book club and got rave reviews! I’d like to make it again for the family but my daughter has a severe dairy allergy. Would I be able to substitute the milk with oat (or almond) milk or oat (or almond) milk creamer? If so, which would be preferable both for consistency and flavor? Thanks!
Hi Mary ~ I would use almond milk. You could also use oat milk but I think that’s got a stronger flavor. I’d go with almond.
Good morning, I am looking forward to making this cake this Wednesday. I wonder if you’ve ever tried using less sugar? Id like to cut it to 1 cup but never having made an olive oil cake I am not sure if it will affect the cake.
thanks,
Christine
Hi Christine ~ you should be able to cut the sugar to 1 cup without any issues. Enjoy!
Having moved to Portugal I now have sooo many lemons at my disposal, so you can just imagine how happy my neighbors are when I show up with this cake. Thank you for sharing this scrumptious recipe.
I’m planning to make this for a party. Could I make it the day before? How is it best stored? Thanks
Hi! I don’t have any whole milk at home. Are there any substitutes? Butter milk or yogurt or oat milk? Thanks !
Any of the above will work!
I decided to make this for my daughter’s 25th birthday. We assigned this to one of her friends who has never made a cake before. He followed the recipe step by step and it was perfect. We all gave it a 10/10. We did not have the recommended baking pan and made it in a square glass dish and it came out perfect. This will be our go to dessert for years to come. So good!!
Thanks so much Arlene, coincidentally I’m just testing a chocolate olive oil cake today ~ it’s equally as delicious and I can’t wait to publish it!!
Im a private chef who is usually terrible at baking. I made this recipe for a party and everyone went crazy for it. Followed instructions exactly with a very nice quality EVOO and I have to say it’s the best olive oil cake I’ve ever had. Thank you!
Wow, that’s great to hear, thanks Kristin!
Could I add a bit of dried culinary lavender to the batter or on top?
I don’t see why not, that sounds lovely. If you want to put it on top you might add a light lemon glaze to hold it.
I made this cake last week, and everyone loved it!
What are your thoughts on adding lavendar extract in place of some of the vanilla? Would that work? If yes, how much would you suggest?
The other idea I had was to sprinkle 2 tbsp of lavendar sugar on top in place of the regular sugar. Do you recommend a brand? I would prefer infused lavendar sugar, not a sugar that has lavendar flowers in it. I don’t want it to look like bugs on top of the cake.