Lemon Olive Oil Cake
This Lemon Olive Oil Cake is brightened up with fresh and vibrant lemons making it perfect for brunch or dessert! It’s just 5-ingredients and 300 calories per serving, are you in love with this dessert yet?
Slice and serve another fresh, lemony dessert by baking Mary Berry’s Lemon Drizzle Cake! It’s deliciously tender with a slight crunch from the 2-ingredient lemon drizzle!
What To Expect With This Easy Lemon Olive Oil Cake
If you’re looking for a nice summery, vibrant treat that’s light in texture, flavor, and calories then look no further than this Lemon Olive Oil Cake! And even if you weren’t looking – you’ll be more than happy that you found this recipe!
Lemon Olive Cake is the perfect after-dinner treat that doesn’t sit heavy in the belly! The cake itself is light in flavor with a hint of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and zest.
Yet is just the right amount of sweetness to hit the spot! Making it a dessert you can indulge in without feeling guilty!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Bright, fresh lemony flavor with a sweet sugar sprinkle.
Texture: Light and fluffy cake with a tougher crust. A cross between chiffon and an angel food cake.
Ease: 6/10
Pros: A 5-ingredient cake with bright, sweet, flavor that only has 300 calories per serving.
Cons: Working with egg whites can be tricky, but this recipe walks you through step-by-step to ensure your cake comes out perfectly!
Would I Make This Again? Yes, this is the perfect spring and summer treat!
Ingredients For Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Cake Flour
- Lemon Zest
- Lemon Juice
- Egg Yolks
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Egg Whites
- Granulated Sugar
- Whipped Cream
- Candied Lemons
- Fresh Berries
- Fresh Mint
The Magic Of Cake Flour!
In this recipe, we use cake flour to create a cake with a light, soft, and fluffy crumb. Since cake flour has a lower protein content, it produces less gluten, yielding the texture we’re aiming for!
If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can whip up a cake flour substitute with just 2 ingredients in 5 minutes or less.
To make a cake flour substitute you can use all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Take one cup of the flour and remove 2 tablespoons from it. You can place the 2 tablespoons back in the flour bag since you won’t need it.
Then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the remaining flour. Sift this mixture together three times and then it’s ready to use in this recipe.
If you don’t have a sifter, you can whisk the 2 ingredients together by hand or in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
How To Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat the oven and line a springform pan with parchment paper. Add drops of olive oil to a paper towel and then rub down the sides of the pan with it.
- Grate the lemon zest into a bowl with the cake flour, then stir the two together and set it aside.
- Beat the granulated sugar and the egg yolks together until the mixture becomes pale and creamy.
- Slowly add the olive oil and lemon juice into the sugar mixture at a reduced mixer speed. Then beat until just combined.
- Fold in the flour by hand using a wood spoon or spatula.
- Beat the egg whites in a new bowl until they become foamy.
- Add granulated sugar slowly while continuing to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Mix a portion of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites by hand.
- Pour the lemon cake batter into the prepared pan and then lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Sprinkle the top of the batter with granulated sugar.
- Bake the Olive Oil Cake until it becomes puffy and golden brown.
- Cool the cake in the pan and then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan and remove the sides and bottom to let the cake finish cooling.
- Serve the cooled cake with whipped cream, candied lemons, fresh berries, and mint. Enjoy!
Rebecca’s Tips
- One of the reasons this cake has a tender, light crumb is because the recipe calls for cake flour! Making it essential that you use cake flour and not all-purpose flour.
- Be sure not to beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients when following the recipe instructions. Doing so will result in a dense cake and that’s not the texture we’re aiming for!
- To easily remove the cake from the springform pan for serving you’ll want to take a minute to properly prep it! The parchment paper coupled with drops of olive oil makes for a perfectly prepared pan to do so.
- Make sure to use an 8-inch springform pan for best results; a 10-inch pan is much too big. You can also use a 9-inch cake pan or a deep 8-inch cake pan if you don’t have a springform pan. Just be sure to properly prepare the round cake pan with parchment paper and olive oil.
- I chose to use Extra Virgin olive oil in this recipe, but you could also use regular olive oil.
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are best! There’s a big difference in lemon flavor between freshly squeezed juice, lemon extract, and store-bought lemon juice.
- You can swap the lemon zest and lemon juice out for another citrus. This recipe was originally published as a grapefruit recipe and was absolutely delicious!
How To Serve & Enjoy Lemon Olive Oil Cake
I’ve found that this Olive Oil Lemon Cake is best when served at room temperature. And with lots of tasty toppings options!
I like to arrange fresh toppings such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and fresh mint leaves on the cake. Then serve it with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and/or a dollop of light, fluffy, homemade whipped cream.
When I really want to dress this cake up, I’ll also make some candied lemon slices! The edible slices make for a fun touch and take just 15 minutes to prep a batch!
Prep Lemon Olive Oil Cake Ahead Of Time!
For easier prep, you can even make the cake up to one day ahead of time! Then simply add the toppings at the last minute for peak taste and freshness!
Storage Instructions
You can store this Lemon Olive Oil Cake at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
More Lemon-Flavored Dessert Recipes:
- Easy Lemon Sheet Cake – Made with a doctored-up boxed cake mix and a 3-ingredient lemon glaze!
- Sansa’s Lemon Cakes – Separates into 3 different tasty textured layers as the cake bakes!
- Meyer Lemon Meringue Slab Pie – Includes helpful tips to create the perfect billowy meringue!
- Lemon Tart – Homemade lemon filling rests in a sweet shortbread crust!
- Rich Lemon Cheesecake Crepes – The perfect recipe for brunch that cooks up in just 10 minutes!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.
This post was originally published in January 2015 as a grapefruit-flavored cake. It was updated in July 2022 as lemon, but any flavor citrus can be used.
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup cake flour spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice fresh is best
- 5 egg yolks
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 egg whites
- ¾ cup +1 tablespoon granulated sugar divided
Toppings
- Whipped Cream
- Candied Lemons
- Fresh Berries
- Fresh Mint
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan and then clip the sides around it. Trim away the excess parchment paper, leave just a bit of a lip.
- Add a couple drops of olive oil to a paper towel and rub down the sides of the pan with it.
- Grate the lemon zest into a large bowl with the cake flour, stir and set aside.1 cup cake flour, 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together ½ cup of sugar and the egg yolks on high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes.¾ cup +1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 5 egg yolks
- Reduce speed to medium and slowly add the olive oil and lemon juice. Beat until just combined, mix may look separated.¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, DO NOT BEAT!
- In another bowl, or after transferring the batter to the flour bowl and cleaning your stand mixer, beat the egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy.4 egg whites
- Slowly begin adding ¼ cup of sugar and continue beating on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.¾ cup +1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Gently mix ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites.
- Pour batter into the prepared springform pan and lightly rap a couple times on a flat surface to remove air bubbles.
- Sprinkle top of the batter with 1 tablespoon of sugar and bake for 42 to 45 minutes until the cake is puffy and golden brown and a toothpick comes clean from the center.¾ cup +1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Cool the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then run a paring knife around the edge of the pan and remove the sides and bottom to let the cake finish cooling.
- Once the cake has cooled and you're ready to serve. Top with whipped cream, candied lemons, fresh berries, and mint if desired.Whipped Cream, Candied Lemons, Fresh Berries, Fresh Mint
Notes
- This cake was originally published as grapefruit but has been updated. Any citrus will work with this recipe.
- Cake can be made up to one day ahead of time.
- Extra Virgin or regular Olive Oil can be used. I chose to use Extra Virgin because it brings out the zest in the cake, but regular olive oil will yield a lighter texture.
- This cake is best served at room temperature.
- Slightly Adapted from Epicurious.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Share your thoughts!
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I’m like you! I loved grapefruit growing up, but never had it besides raw or baked. I never, in all my life, would have thought to make a grapefruit cake! How innovative!
It looks delicious (and pretty)!
Thanks so much for linking up with the Oh My Heartsie Girls link party! I hope we see you again next Wednesday!
Thank you, Christine! It’s very light in flavor and texture, but so refreshing!
Is that 3/4 ‘CUP’ of EVOO? It just says 3/4…Thanks
Yes it is, thanks for pointing that out, going to fix it right now!
Wow, this cake is GORGEOUS! I’ve never tried an olive oil cake, but I need to try this one!
This is a stunning cake. I hope I get a chance to try baking one soon.Pinned for later.
What a great recipe!
So simple, so elegant, so lovely! I don’t like grapefruit, but I betcha I would eat this. Thanks for sharing! Visiting form Busy Monday Link Party! 🙂 Pinned!
Looks so healthy!
This looks SO good!
This sounds delicious and looks absolutely wonderful!
This is a beautiful cake, seriously!!! Magazine worthy.
I love grapefruit and what an exciting use of it! YuMmmm The presentation is amazing too. Whoever got to eat this is pretty lucky! 🙂
This is an absolutely stunning cake! Oh my heavens–pinned it! Gotta try to make it some day! Thank you 🙂
This sounds and looks amazing!
What a truly beautiful cake! An absolute burst of (lusciously decadent! 😀 ) sunshine to find this recipe on a cold winter’s day! I love that it’s made with olive oil, and the grapefruit just makes it so special!
Wow, your cake looks delicious. I love the addition of the grapefruit.
LOVE this cake – the cake by itself looks amazing, but grapefruit added – WOW!!
so so gorgeous!
This is absolutely stunning , I love your gorgeous photos!!! Pinning!
I just bought a big bag of grapefruit from Costco, so this recipe has my name written all over it! Quick question: in the recipe listed ingredients, it says 3 tsp of grapefruit juice, but in the instructions, it says to slowly add 3 tbsp of grapefruit juice. Which is the correct amount? I’m guessing it’s 3 tbsp, since 3 tsp seems like such a small amount for a cake, but I just wanted to double check! Thank you!
Yes, tbsp. Thanks so much for catching that!
Wow, what a gorgeous cake!
Thank you, Jamie!
Amazing & so delicious recipe. i am adding this recipe to m y food blog foodgigo.com