Lemon Olive Oil Cake
A tender, fragrant single-layer cake made with olive oil and fresh lemon zest that is moist for days and needs nothing more than powdered sugar on top.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 45 min · Total: 1 hr 10 min · Serves: 10 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (593 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Olive oil cakes are a cornerstone of Italian and Provencal baking, made in home kitchens where butter was expensive or scarce. The oil produces a different kind of moisture than butter, one that seems to deepen over the first day rather than dry out. Lemon is the most natural pairing, cutting through the richness of the oil and brightening every bite.
Story
I made my first olive oil cake for a birthday dinner when the guest of honor mentioned she did not like overly sweet desserts. I had never made one before. I found a recipe, bought a good bottle of olive oil, zested two lemons until my knuckles were slightly sore, and put it in the oven not entirely confident in what was going to come out. It came out with a cracked golden top and smelled incredible, like a lemon orchard and something toasty and warm underneath. I brought it to the table still slightly warm with just powdered sugar on top and a bowl of mascarpone on the side. People went back for seconds and then thirds, and then someone asked me to send the recipe. I took that as a good sign. The mistake I made on my second attempt was switching to a milder olive oil because I was worried the flavor would be too strong. The cake came out fine but noticeably blander, like something had been quietly removed from the conversation. The olive oil is doing real flavor work here, not just acting as a fat. A bottle labeled extra-virgin with a harvest date and some tasting notes is worth using. It should taste a little grassy and faintly peppery. That is the point. I also learned to not skip the almond flour. The first time I made this without it because I was trying to keep it simple, and the crumb was fine but slightly too springy, too bread-like. A quarter cup of almond flour adds just enough fat and protein to shift the texture toward something more tender and interesting without making it taste like an almond cake. This is the dessert I pull out when I want to look like a thoughtful baker without a lot of effort. The ingredients are simple and the process is easy, but the result tastes considered.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 0.5 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.25 cup almond flour
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 2 minutes until slightly thickened and pale. Whisk in the olive oil, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold with a spatula until just combined. A few small lumps are fine; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is deep golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Chef Tips
- Use extra-virgin olive oil, not a light or pure olive oil. The slightly fruity, grassy quality of good EVOO is part of what makes this cake interesting. A neutral oil produces a bland cake. If you want more lemon punch, add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the powdered sugar and drizzle it over instead of dusting.
Cook's Notes
- **Olive oil:** Use extra-virgin; light or pure olive oil produces a noticeably bland cake.
- **Almond flour substitute:** Omit it if needed and replace with equal all-purpose flour; the texture will be slightly less tender.
- **Make-ahead:** This cake improves after a day. Bake the night before and dust with sugar just before serving.
- **Equipment:** A 9-inch round pan is ideal; a springform pan also works well.
- **Common mistake:** Overmixing after adding the flour develops gluten and makes the crumb tough; fold until just combined.
- **Doneness cue:** A toothpick in the center comes out clean and the top is deep golden with visible cracks.
- **Dairy-free option:** Substitute oat milk or almond milk for the whole milk at a 1:1 ratio.