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This lemon olive oil cake will be your go-to dessert for any occasion. It’s a one-bowl recipe made with pantry staples and comes together in no time. Tender and moist with a subtle, bright lemon flavor, it’s perfect with a cup of tea or coffee any time of day.
When it comes to cakes, I like mine fluffy, light and easy to make. Luckily, this classic lemon olive oil cake checks all the boxes for us. Similar to my popular Turkish semolina cake, portokalopita (Greek orange phyllo cake), pumpkin cake and tahini cake, this cake is mildly sweet and has a very nice flavor that would go perfect with a cup of freshly brewed tea.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Great flavor: Similar to my pistachio cake, this cake is fragrant thanks to the olive oil and lemon zest and it’s not too sweet.
- Perfect texture: It’s perfectly moist and tender, so there is no need for frosting.
- No butter: Since this recipe calls for olive oil and not butter, which usually needs time to come to room temperature, the preparation is quicker.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil: You can use pure (regular) or light olive oil for this recipe. It keeps the cake very moist and adds a nice flavor. Using extra virgin olive oil will result in the cake having a bolder olive oil flavor.
- Yogurt: Use plain (not flavored) yogurt to make this cake. Yogurt makes the cake soft and give it a great texture. For a non-dairy option, try using soy or almond milk yogurt.
- Eggs: You need 2 large eggs for this recipe. It’s best to have them at room temperature.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works best for this recipe. I don’t recommend using alternative sweeteners such as stevia or coconut sugar.
- Lemon: You need zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon for this recipe. This will give your cake enough lemony flavor and aroma without overpowering it.
- Flour: I use all purpose flour to make this recipe. I have not tried this with almond flour or any other alternatives.
- Leavening agents: We are going to use both baking powder and baking soda.
How To Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and line the pan with it.
- Place the olive oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Mix using a whisk or an electric mixer until well combined and lighter in color, about 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make sure there no lumps left, but avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing. If desired, top the cake with powdered sugar and berries.
Recipe Tips
Don’t overmix: Whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just enough to make sure there are no dry flour lumps. Overmixing will prevent your cake from rising.
Stick to the recipe: Baking is practically a science and altering measurements can mess up the results.
Measure the flour properly: For correct measuring, spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it. Use a knife to scrape across the top to level the flour.
Storing The Leftovers
Since this cake doesn’t contain frosting, you can store it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate olive oil cake for up to one week.
This lemon olive oil cake freezes beautifully. Once the cake has cooled completely, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw the cake in the fridge overnight.
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Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 lemons
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9-inch pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Place the olive oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Add the zest of 2 lemons plus the juice of 1 lemon. Mix using a whisk or an electric mixer until well combined and lighter in color, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, Mix until all is combined and there are no flour lumps left.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. You'll know the cake is ready once a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with little to no crumbs.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes and then take it out of the pan. Cool the cake completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
- You can use pure (regular) or light olive oil, using extra virgin olive oil will give the cake a bolder flavor.
- To mix the ingredients, you can use either a whisk or an electric mixer.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze this cake, let it cool completely then wrap in in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw the cake in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I added dried orange rind and two big squirts of lemon juice and its delicious.
Delicious!
Easy and elegant – perfect for parties, b-days or even a tasty snack!
This looks like a delicious cake. I love how moist is is. A super moist cake is a thing of beauty.
What a lovely cake! The pictures you shared are so beautiful. Thanks for the recipe.
Cake as an afternoon snack?! Sign me up!
I made this cake over the weekend and it was incredible! Turned out perfectly and tastes delish
I love how simple this recipe is! Definitely a classic cake recipe. 🙂
I love that this cake comes together in just one bowl!
Super moist and soft olive oil cake. Recommend
What a light, fluffy and moist cake. it’s such a classic and easy cake to make. Perfect for when company comes.