Lemon olive oil cake is a simple, elegant cake that’s incredibly moist with a delicious lemon flavor. It’s perfect for dessert, afternoon tea or brunch and stays moist and tender for days.

This lemon olive oil cake is the type of back pocket recipe that you can make whenever. It has a beautiful lemon flavor without being too sweet or too rich, and the cake crumb is extremely tender without being too heavy or dense. It’s quick and easy to make with simple, everyday ingredients. Best of all, it stays moist on your counter for days – so I’ll often slice myself a piece for breakfast days after making this recipe.

Baking with Olive Oil

I typically bake with butter, but olive oil is a staple in many classic Italian desserts. The flavor of the oil works well with desserts that aren’t overly sweet and keeps cakes and pastries moist for much longer than butter. Don’t think of it as a substitute for butter though, since the oil can provide flavor to the dessert. It pairs particularly well with citrus and almond. But don’t worry, your cake won’t taste like salad dressing. As well, commercially prepared butter is about 20% water. Therefore, it is not a simple 1 to 1 substitution between butter and olive oil.

My Favorite Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe

I’ve tried many olive oil cake recipes – some with ground almonds, some with Grand Marnier – but this is my favorite. It’s embarrassingly easy to make and the lemon flavor really shines on its own. You can serve it with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or whipped cream and berries. I’ve even experimented topping it with cream cheese frosting, but the cake is so delicious that I think the simplest version is best. It’s very moist without being heavy or dense.

The recipe starts with beating together your eggs, sugar and lemon zest. This step is key the ensure the cake rises nicely and stays light in texture. You’ll need to whip the eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes, or until they’re white in color and about triple the volume you started with. Then you’ll drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice with the mixer on low speed. You’ll gently mix in the dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the milk – and in no time, your cake batter is done. It’s not an overly thick batter, which is expected.

Important Baking Tips

Make sure to use a 9-inch pan with high sides – at least 2 inches (about 5 cm). I typically use a springform pan because it has high sides. If your springform tends to leak/doesn’t have that tight of seal, then wrap the outside in aluminum foil.
If you only have pans with short sides (such as sandwich tins, where the sides are only about 1 – 1.5 inches) – bake in two 8-inch round pans for about 30 minutes at 350F, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Choose a high-quality olive oil, but you don’t need to go overboard here. One of the higher quality brands from your local grocery store is just fine.
I recommend using an olive oil that isn’t too strong in flavor – especially if this is the first time you’re making this recipe. Some people do prefer using extra-virgin olive oil with a more robust flavor, but that’s a bit of personal preference.
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not something from a bottle. You’ll need 2-3 lemons in total for this recipe. Always zest your lemons first, them squeeze the juice. This

Note – the batter will taste much more like olive oil than the cake after its baked.

Incredibly moist with a delicious lemon flavor – this olive oil cake is perfect for any occasion. And if you love lemon desserts, make sure to try these other favorites:

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