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
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
Nutrition

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.