This lemon olive oil cake has a light, tender crumb and bright lemon flavor in every bite. Elegant yet simple, it’s an effortless one-bowl recipe that stays moist for days!

Moist lemon olive oil cake slice showing tender crumb, dusted with powdered sugar.

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Effortless One Bowl Cake

This lemon olive oil cake recipe is moist and light, full of fresh lemon flavor, and easy to make, which is why, along with lemon loaf cake and my lemon blueberry cake, it’s the perfect citrusy dessert for any occasion!

Made with extra virgin olive oil for a tender crumb and fresh lemons for bright notes, this cake is simple yet perfect for Easter, baby showers, a weeknight treat, and then again in the morning for brunch!

Why You’ll Love This Classic Recipe

  • One bowl, one whisk. Italian-style and genuinely simple, about 20 minutes of prep.
  • Stays moist for days. The olive oil keeps the crumb soft well past day one.
  • Bright and balanced. Fresh lemon juice and zest against just enough sugar.
  • Dresses up or down. Powdered sugar for a weeknight slice, a glaze for company.
  • Made from pantry staples. Nothing fancy or hard to find.

Ingredients Notes

Ingredients for lemon olive oil cake including fresh lemons, olive oil, eggs, milk, sugar, and flour on a white surface.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Olive oil: Use extra virgin olive oil (light olive oil) for a mild flavor. The light olive oil gives the best flavor and isn’t too strong.
  • Lemons: You’ll need both the juice and the zest from fresh lemons. Eureka or Lisbon lemons are nice and tart, whereas Meyer lemons are less acidic and sweeter.
  • All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour. You don’t want to add too much, or it’ll create a dense, dry, and crumbly cake.
  • Powdered sugar: To finish with a dusting before serving.
  • You’ll also need: Large eggs, whole milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Why Olive Oil Makes a Better Cake

Olive oil is the reason this cake stays so moist and tender. Butter firms up as it cools, which is why a lot of cakes taste dry by day two. Olive oil stays liquid at room temperature, so the crumb holds onto its softness for days. You get that same melt-in-your-mouth texture on the third slice as you did on the first.

It also does nice things for the flavor. A good light olive oil adds a gentle richness in the background without tasting like, well, olives. Paired with all that fresh lemon, it keeps the cake from feeling heavy or overly sweet. That balance is exactly why this style of cake has been a staple in Italian kitchens forever.

How to Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the olive oil and eggs until smooth.

Then, add the milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, and sugar and whisk until fully combined.

Olive oil and lemon mixture whisked together for lemon olive oil cake batter.
Whisking lemon olive oil cake batter until smooth in a glass mixing bowl

Add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 55-65 minutes.

Lemon olive oil cake batter poured into a prepared round cake pan before baking
Lemon olive oil cake cooling in a springform pan with a knife loosening the edges.

Let the lemon olive oil cake cool completely. Run a knife around the edge and then remove it from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar, slice, and enjoy!

Whole lemon olive oil cake dusted with powdered sugar and surrounded by fresh lemons.

Recipe Tips

  • Use good quality olive oil. Reach for a light or mild olive oil, not a strong peppery one. A bold, grassy oil will fight the lemon and leave a savory aftertaste you don’t want in a dessert. Mild oil gives you all the moisture without taking over.
  • No springform pan? No problem. A regular 9-inch round pan works fine. Just hit it with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment so the cake releases cleanly when you flip it out.
  • Let it cool all the way before removing. This one matters more than it sounds. A warm cake is fragile and will crack or tear coming out of the pan. Once it cools and the crumb sets, it firms up and slides out in one piece.
  • Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour goes in, stir just until you don’t see dry streaks. Overmixing builds gluten and turns a tender cake dense and tough.
  • Zest before you juice. Always zest your lemons while they’re still whole and firm. Trying to zest a squeezed, floppy lemon half is a losing battle.

Easy Swaps and Variations

Once you have the base down, this cake is easy to make your own. Here are a few ways to switch it up:

  • Finish with a powdered sugar glaze. If a dusting isn’t enough for you, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice and pour it over the cooled cake.
  • Add a lemon syrup soak. While the cake is still warm, brush it with a simple syrup made from equal parts lemon juice and sugar. It sinks in and makes the whole thing extra moist and punchy.
  • Try different lemons. Eureka or Lisbon lemons give you that classic tart bite. Meyer lemons are sweeter and a little floral, so reach for those if you want a mellower, less acidic cake.
  • Switch up the citrus. Orange or blood orange work beautifully in place of lemon if you want something a little sweeter and less sharp.
Slice of lemon olive oil cake dusted with powdered sugar served on a plate with fresh lemon.

More lemon recipes to try include this classic lemon meringue pie, lemon blueberry cupcakes, lemon brownies and lemon coconut bars.

More Lemon Recipes

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See all
Moist lemon olive oil cake slice showing tender crumb, dusted with powdered sugar.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12
This lemon olive oil cake has a light, tender crumb and bright lemon flavor in every bite. Elegant yet simple, it’s an effortless one-bowl recipe that stays moist for days!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup olive oil , use light for a mild flavor
  • 3 large eggs , room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk , room temperature
  • 3 lemons , zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups (300 grams) sugar
  • 2 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

For dusting: powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Prepare and preheat: Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat 9 inch round springform cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again.
  • Whisk wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 1 cup olive oil and 3 eggs. Use the whisk attachment and whisk until well combined and smooth. Add 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup lemon juice, lemon zest (about 3 Tablespoons), 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Whisk until smooth.
  • Add dry ingredients: Add 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Whisk until just barely combined, do not overmix. If needed, scrape down the edges with a spatula and gently combine.
  • Bake: Pour batter into the springform pan, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool: Cool completely before removing from pan. To remove from springform, run a knife along the edges of the pan first. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Pan: If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a regular 9″ round pan, but be sure to use non-stick spray and add parchment paper so it comes out easily.
Lemon glaze: If you prefer a glaze over top, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2-3 Tablespoon of lemon juice.
Store.  Keep the cake covered in an airtight container to retain moisture. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezer. Wrap the cake or individual slices with plastic wrap. Place them in a freezer bag to keep frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw on the countertop.

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 267mg, Potassium: 145mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 107IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.