Lemon Olive Oil Cake


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40–45 minutes (or ~25 minutes for small ramekin)
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Category: Dessert

Notes After Making

  • Also oil one 1-cup ramekin dish; this recipe makes more batter than a single round cake pan.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided (325 g)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (205 g/mL)
  • 1¼ cups milk total (see options below)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (30 g/mL)

Milk Options (choose one)

  • 1¼ cups whole milk
    or
  • ¾ cup almond milk + ½ cup half-and-half
    or
  • 1 cup sour cream + ¼ cup half-and-half

Instructions

Prepare the Pan

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil.
  3. Dust with flour and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Mix Dry Ingredients

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Mix Wet Ingredients

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat 1½ cups of the sugar with the eggs on high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
  2. Reduce speed to low and slowly stream in olive oil.
  3. Add milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice; mix until combined.

Combine Batter

  1. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
  2. Mix just until incorporated; do not overmix.

Bake

  1. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  2. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over the top.
  3. Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  4. If browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
  5. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
  6. Remove from pan, discard parchment, and cool completely.

Jessica’s Notes

Best Served With

  • Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
  • Whipped cream
  • Lemon curd
  • Vanilla ice cream

Wine Pairings

  • Prosecco adds bright bubbles that complement the citrus and olive oil richness.
  • Moscato d’Asti enhances the lemon flavor with light sweetness and floral notes.
  • Late Harvest Riesling pairs beautifully with the sugar topping and citrus brightness.
  • Sparkling Rosé offers a fruity, refreshing contrast to the rich olive oil crumb.
  • Sauvignon Blanc (slightly chilled) highlights the lemon zest and keeps the palate fresh.

Prep Ahead

  • Cake can be baked 1 day in advance; flavor improves overnight.
  • Batter should be baked immediately after mixing.
  • Zest and juice lemons ahead of time to streamline prep.

Storage

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Freezer-Friendly

Freeze whole or sliced cake for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly and thaw at room temperature before serving.

Variations

  • Add blueberries or raspberries to the batter.
  • Replace lemon with orange for a citrus variation.
  • Add ½ teaspoon almond extract for depth.
  • Top with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar.

Popular posts from this blog

Sourdough Honey Oat Wheat Sandwich Bread

Image
Prep Time: 45 minutes active (plus fermentation and overnight proof) Bake Time: 60–70 minutes Total Time: About 2½–3 days Yield: 2 loaves (or 1 loaf using the half-batch variation) Category: Bread ⸻ Notes After Making Add ⸻ Ingredients Starter Prep (Night Before – Day 1) Feed your sourdough starter the night before baking so it is active, bubbly, and ready to use. Glass jar reference weights: Jar + black lid: 470 g Jar only: 456 g Dough 2 cups (200 g) rolled oats 2 cups (480 g) hot water 114 g oil or melted butter 100 g honey (about 5 tablespoons) 300 g active sourdough starter 240-260 g room-temperature water 18 g (3 teaspoons) salt Choose ONE Flour Option Option 1 – Standard Flour Mix 500 g all-purpose flour 500 g whole wheat flour Option 2 – Bread Flour Substitute Blend 460 g all-purpose flour 450 g whole wheat flour 90 g vital wheat gluten Half Batch (Yield: 1 Loaf) Dough 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats 1 cup (240 g) hot water 57 g oil or melted butter 50 g...
Read more

Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookies

¾ cup (167 g) salted butter, softened ¾ cup (160–200 g) dark brown sugar, packed (use dark for richer flavor) ¼ cup (60 g) granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 tablespoon (15 ml) canola or neutral oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour 1½ tablespoons (12 g) cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (or substitute ground ginger) 1½ cups (150 g) old-fashioned rolled oats ½ cup (90 g) semisweet chocolate chips ½ cup (90 g) butterscotch chips ⅓ cup (50 g) raisins ⅓ cup (45 g) chopped walnuts or pecans Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. In a large bowl, beat ¾ cup (167 g) salted butter with ¾ cup (dark brown sugar) and ¼ cup (granulated sugar) until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon of canola oil, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and we...
Read more

Pizza Bowl

Image
  ½   cup   (60 g) all-purpose flour or 1/2 whole wheat flour  ¼   teaspoon   baking powder ⅛   teaspoon   baking soda ¼   teaspoon   salt ⅓   cup (75 g)   milk 2   tablespoons   olive oil 2   tablespoons   pizza sauce 2-3  tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese 5 pepperonis or pre-cooked meat of choice ½   teaspoon   dried Italian herbs,  basil or oregano Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a microwavable bowl. Add in the milk and oil then mix together, it’s ok if some lumps. Spoon on the  pizza sauce  and spread it around the surface of the batter. Sprinkle on the cheese, pepperoni, and dried herbs. Microwave for roughly 2 minutes or so, until it rises up and the toppings are bubbling. Ingredients (for ¾ cup flour version) • ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour or half whole wheat flour • ⅓ teaspoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon baking soda • ⅓ teaspoon salt ...
Read more