Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Simple & Moist)

A cake so simply delicious, it doesn’t need an icing or glaze. This Italian lemon olive oil cake will have you dreaming of the Mediterranean with its bright citrus flavours and moist, tender crumb. Impressive enough to serve at a dinner party, but easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.

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Recipe Origins

I wasn’t fussed about most aspects of planning my wedding. I wanted everyone to have a nice time, of course, but I honestly couldn’t have cared less about the colour of the napkins.

When it came to choosing a cake flavour though? That’s when I suddenly had opinions.

Armed with cleansed palates, empty bellies, and a notepad (this was serious business), my husband and I sat down fully expecting to choose something chocolatey. A crowd-pleaser like white chocolate raspberry mud cake. What we weren’t expecting was for the humble lemon olive oil cake to knock our socks off.

I’ve been trying to recreate our wedding cake ever since. Did I do the smart thing and ask the venue for their recipe? Nope. I decided to tackle it from scratch.

Several failed versions later, I finally got the balance right. Moist, light, lemony — but not too lemony — this is the only lemon olive oil cake recipe you’ll ever need.

Why Bake with Olive Oil?

Olive oil isn’t just reserved for salad dressings and marinades. It’s a Mediterranean tradition to use it in place of butter in baking recipes, and for good reason. Here’s why you should embrace olive oil in your baked goods:

What You’ll Need (10 Simple Ingredients)

1. Lemon zest AND juice: lemon zest is rubbed into the sugar to release the natural oils trapped in the peel. This infuses the cake with an aromatic citrusy flavour, without introducing more liquid. Lemon juice, on the other hand, adds a bright, tangy flavour, and its acidity helps to produce a moist and tender cake.
2. Granulated sugar balances the tartness of the lemon and helps the cake to form a lovely golden crust.
3. Plain flour: if measuring with cups, make sure you spoon and level the flour. Too much flour could make this cake dry and dense.
4. Baking soda: using both baking soda and baking powder in this cake provides the best of both worlds. Baking soda is immediately activated by the acid in the lemon juice, which makes for a light and airy cake batter.
5. Baking powder — our old reliable. Baking powder provides a second lift during baking, ensuring the cake doesn’t fall flat in the oven.
6. Salt gives the lemon flavour some extra oomph.
7. Eggs: use room temperature eggs…you know the drill.
8. Extra virgin olive oil: use a good quality extra virgin olive oil — the kind you would happily dip a piece of bread into. It should be smooth and mild in intensity. Anything too peppery or bitter will throw off the delicate balance of flavours in this cake. Not sure? Give it a taste first!
9. Vanilla extract: it might seem unnecessary, but a little vanilla goes a long way here.
10. Milk: I originally tested this cake with buttermilk, and the tang level was off the charts (not in a good way). The lemon juice adds enough acidity, so opt for regular full-cream milk instead. For a dairy free version, you can substitute this with unsweetened almond milk.
11. Icing sugar: Alright, I lied. There’s an 11th ingredient, but technically it’s optional. Icing sugar adds a little extra sweetness and a pretty finishing touch. That said, don’t make a special trip to the grocery store just to grab some. This cake is still worthy without it.

*For precise measurements, please refer to the recipe card below

How to Make Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake

1. Get your oven and cake tin ready – Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan/350°F). Line the bottom of a 23 cm (9-inch) cake tin with parchment paper and grease the sides well with olive oil. I prefer to use a springform pan for easy removal.

2. Infuse the sugar – Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest into a large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar. This helps the lemon peel to release its fragrant oils. After a minute or two, the sugar will begin to feel damp, with a texture similar to wet sand. Set aside.

3. Combine the dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. I know, this is so close to being a one-bowl recipe, but mixing the dry ingredients separately ensures there are no clumps hiding out.

4. Add the remaining wet ingredients (except the milk) – Coming back to the bowl with the sugar, add the eggs and whisk until combined. Then drizzle in the olive oil, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together until a smooth batter forms.

5. Combine the dry with the wet – Alternate adding half the flour mixture, then half of the milk, and repeat. Mix until just combined, with no visible streaks or dry clumps. As with any cake recipe, be mindful not to overmix at this stage.

6. Pour and bake – Pour the batter into your lined cake tin. This batter is on the thinner side, so you shouldn’t need to spread it out. Just give the tin a couple of taps on the countertop to knock out any larger air bubbles. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

7. Remove and cool – Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Then, carefully release from the springform pan (if using) or invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

8. Dust and serve – Sift the cake with a generous dusting of icing sugar, then slice and serve with a dollop of chantilly cream. Or, check out the other serving ideas below!