Extra Moist Lemon & Olive Oil Cake | One-Bowl Recipe

This moist one-bowl lemon and olive oil cake is light, rich and gooey with natural fruity flavours from the olive oil and citrus flavours from the lemon. Topped with a lemon-infused olive oil drizzle, this is an undeniably refreshing treat with bright yet cozy flavours.

AUTHOR : KHUSHALI PATEL

PREPARATION TIME: 45 minutes
BAKING TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hours 30 minutes

*For the best results, read the entire post & follow the instructions.

What does this lemon and olive oil cake taste like?

The lemon and olive oil cake has a rich, smooth and fruity flavour that marries the natural citrus flavours flawlessly.
This indulgent and refreshing cake is light, moist and delicate and is paired with a lemon-infused olive oil drizzle with a hint of sweet flavours that goes beautifully with the cake.

Why is this the best lemon and olive oil cake?

Ease

The lemon and olive oil cake uses simple and fresh ingredients all mixed in a single bowl making it an easy and mind-blowing one-bowl cake recipe.

Time

The cake is ready in just about an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish.

Flavour

The natural citrus and tangy flavours of the lemon, brighten up the fruity and rich flavour of the olive oil.

The plus point is that although the recipe uses extra-virgin olive oil which has a bold olive oil flavour, the cake by no means tastes oily.

Texture

The cake batter is quite thick and creamy before baking. But after baking, the cake has a delicate orangish crust and a moist, soft and bright yellow crumb.

The cake is lighter than most oil-based cakes which makes it the ideal refreshing dessert. A generous amount of lemon & olive oil glaze provides a gooeyness to this highly enjoyable cake.

Less sweet

This cake is mildly sweet with the combination of the fruity, tangy and fruity flavours of the lemon and olive oil taking centre stage.

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Key ingredients in this lemon and olive oil cake

All-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt

Initially I tested the recipe with a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to make the cake lighter. But I found that it reduced the flavour of the lemon and olive. The cake was also dry.

For this reason, I skipped the cornstarch and just used all-purpose flour which improved the flavour and texture of the cake.

The cake also uses less quantity of baking soda and baking powder which makes the cake light without affecting the moist crumb and flavours of the cake.

Castor sugar and icing sugar

The cake is sweetened with castor sugar only. I have used just the right amount to moisten the cake and provide minimal sweetness which ensures that you can enjoy the delicate flavours of the lemon and olive oil without any extra sweet flavours coming in the way.

The lemon-infused olive oil glaze is made with a small quantity of icing sugar to sweeten it.

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

This recipe uses high-quality extra virgin olive oil as the flavour is rich, smooth and bold.
However, you can use the olive oil you prefer to make this cake highly enjoyable for you. Refer to my instructions given below on which olive oil is the best to use.

Whole Eggs

Use whole eggs for this recipe as it provides structure, moistness and richness to the cake crumb.

Natural Greek yoghurt

This is my secret ingredient that gives the cake a boost of tangy flavour combined with moisture. I highly recommend using Greek yoghurt instead of plain full-fat yoghurt.

Lemon zest and lemon juice

The cake is infused with lemon zest which gives a natural citrus flavour to the cake and lemon juice which makes it tangy. However,

I highly recommend adding the amount I have mentioned in the recipe because during my initial recipe testing, I used a lot more which masked the natural olive oil flavour.

Pure vanilla extract

Pure vanilla extract is an optional flavouring ingredient you can add as the cake does not taste eggy at all. However, adding just a tiny amount of vanilla does help boost the flavours of the cake.

Which is the best olive oil to use in this lemon and olive oil cake?

Olive oil mainly comes from Spain and Italy. Each is known for its own flavour, taste and aroma profile. Here is the difference between the two in general but it can also vary depending on what type of olive oil you are using:

Spanish Olive Oil

Flavour – Bolder, nutty, and fruity
Colour – golden yellow

Italian olive oil

Flavour – Fruity, delicate and mild
Colour – greenish

So, what kind of olive oil should you use depending on the taste?

If you love and enjoy the natural olive oil flavour, use high-quality extra virgin olive oil as the flavour is bold, rich and smooth which makes it just right for this recipe

However, if you do not like olive oil but still want a little bit of flavour to pair with the lemons, use light olive oil from any of the two regions.

But if you want no flavour of olive oil, use extra-light olive oil in the recipe. The cake will end up being a moist lemon cake instead.

At the end of the day, use the olive oil that is your personal favourite for the best results.

I used high-quality extra virgin olive oil from Spain for this recipe.

How to make the lemon-infused olive oil drizzle?

The lemon-infused olive oil drizzle is made with lemon juice, a tiny amount of olive oil, icing sugar and cream (heavy or low-fat cream). This drizzle helps boost the lemon and olive oil flavour with a little bit of sweetness and a nice gooey texture.

It takes about 5 minutes to prepare from start to finish as you just have to weigh the ingredients, sift the icing sugar and mix them in a single bowl.

Once the cake is cooled, drizzle it on the cake and then serve.

04 Tips to make the best lemon and olive oil cake

Infuse the zest into the sugar rather than rubbing it in

Many bakers rub the lemon zest into the sugar but I highly recommend not doing this as most of the flavour is lost because your hand is covered with it.

Instead, before you prepare the pan and weigh the ingredients, weigh the castor sugar and zest the lemon onto the castor sugar, Then cover the sugar using a spoon or just swirl the bowl till the zest is covered and mixed into the sugar.

After that, cover the bowl with a lid and let the lemon infuse into the sugar while you are weighing the cake ingredients and preparing the pan.

This ensures that none of the flavour is lost.

Zest the lemon the right way and avoid using too much of it

This is where you have the highest chance of making a mistake.

To zest the lemon, use a sharp zester or grater. But while doing so, do it delicately. Avoid using the white rind of the lemons as this will make the cake bitter.

Don’t squeeze the lemons too much while extracting the juice and always strain it

Another mistake you might make is squeezing the lemon too hard or not straining the lemon juice before you add it to the cake batter.

When you squeeze the lemon too much, the bitter flavour from the seeds and rind can ruin the flavour of the lemon juice.

For this reason, squeeze the lemon just halfway or ¾ way through and then strain it to make sure no seeds are left over.

Whisk and fold only till just combined

This cake has a larger quantity of moist and wet ingredients like Greek yoghurt, oil and lemon juice, so make sure to whisk the ingredients and then fold the dry ingredients in slowly till just combined. Avoid over-mixing the cake batter,

This will prevent the cake from being dense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this olive oil cake taste oily?

No! although it is an oil-based cake, this cake does not taste oily or even leave an oily residue.

Can I use a different oil to prepare this cake?

I highly recommend using olive oil for this recipe but if you do not have any on hand, you can use flavorless or neutral oil for the recipe.

Can I grease and flour the cake pan instead?

For this recipe, line the cake pan with parchment paper because it’s moist, and delicate. This means that it has a higher chance of getting damaged if it gets stuck to the pan. Moreover, the centre of the cake is a lot more moist than the sides, so using parchment paper is a good way to go.

Can this cake be made in a 6-inch cake pan?

Yes! I have included a small-batch recipe in the recipe card. It makes a small cake perfect for two people.

Step-by-step instructions

sliced lemon and olive oil cake on a platter

Extra Moist Lemon and Olive Oil Cake

Khushali Patel

This moist one-bowl lemon and olive oil cake is light, rich and buttery with natural fruity flavours from the olive oil and citrus flavours from the lemon. It takes just over an hour to prepare and is topped with a lemon-infused olive oil drizzle making it a refreshing treat with bright yet cosy flavours.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45

Baking Time 45

Total Time 1 30

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 8

Equipment

01 Weighing Scale
01 8 inch Cake Pan
01 Chopping Board & Knife
01 Sifter
01 Zester
01 Lemon Squeezer
Parchment Paper
Bowls
Spatula
Whisk

Ingredients

For the Lemon Olive Oil Cake

166 grams Castor Sugar or Superfine Sugar
12 grams Lemon Zest
186 grams All-purpose flour
6 grams Baking Powder
3 grams Baking Soda
3 grams Salt
166 ml Extra-virgin olive oil*
149 ml Whole Eggs
02 ml Pure Vanilla Extract
149 grams Natural Greek yogurt partly skimmed or full-fat
59 ml Fresh Lemon Juice

For the Lemon Olive Oil Glaze

90 grams Icing Sugar sifted
15 ml Heavy Cream or Low-fat cream
15 ml Extra-virgin olive oil*
30 ml Fresh Lemon Juice

Instructions

Preparation

Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Learn how to line cake pans by downloading my guide on lining cake pans like a pro right here.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Weigh the castor sugar in a bowl.
Zest the lemon in the same bowl along with the castor sugar and cover the lemon zest with the castor sugar. Cover with a lid and set aside to infuse.
Weigh the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Sift and set aside.
Weigh the olive oil, whole eggs and pure vanilla extract in another bowl (use a larger bowl as the cake batter will be prepared in it)
Weigh the lemon juice and greek yogurt in separate bowls.

Method

Whisk the castor sugar with the olive oil, whole eggs and pure vanilla extract till just combined. It will be thick.
Whisk in the lemon juice and greek yogurt till just combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients till just combined and no lumps remain.
Transfer the cake batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake at 180°C for 45 minutes or till skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Additionally you can also touch the centre of the cake, if it bounces bake the cake is baked completely.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Transfer the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the lemon olive oil glaze

Weigh the ingredients in the bowl and then whisk to combine. You can add in more heavy cream if the glaze is too thick.
Once cooled, spread the glaze evenly onto the cake. You can also sprinkle powdered sugar on the top if you do not want to prepare the glaze.
Slice and serve.
Enjoy!

Notes

Olive oil - I highly recommend using extra-virgin olive oil that you enjoy using to make this cake. However, if you do not enjoy the flavour of olive oil, you can use light, extra-light olive oil or neutral olive oil in the recipe.
Make-ahead instructions - I love making the cake a day in advance for better flavour. If you are making it a day in advance, transfer the cake to an air-tight container and glaze the cake right before serving instead.
Storage and freezing instructions
1. Storage - The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for a week. Cakes are best stored in air-tight containers.
2. Freezing instructions - the cake (with or without the glaze) can be frozen for 1 month. It are best stored by wrapping each slice in plastic wrap and then kept in an air-tight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
Ingredient Substitution & Weighing Guide - Read it here

Small Batch Recipe (6-inch cake pan) - follow the instructions as mentioned above

6-inch cake pan	Quantities
For the lemon & olive oil cake
Castor Sugar	112
Lemon Zest	8
All-purpose flour	125
Baking Powder	4
Baking Soda	2
Salt	2
Extra-virgin olive oil*	112
Whole Eggs	100
Pure Vanilla Extract	1
Natural Greek yogurt, partly skimmed or full-fat	100
Lemon Juice	40

For the lemon & olive oil glaze
Icing Sugar, sifted	45
Heavy Cream or Low-fat cream	7
Extra-virgin olive oil*	7
Lemon Juice	15

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