Lemon Olive Oil Cake
This lemon olive oil cake is an elegant, Mediterranean-style dessert that’s heavenly and delicious. With fresh lemon juice and zest, vanilla, olive oil, and almond flour, it’s incredibly moist, tender, and full of bright citrus flavor.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This lemon olive oil cake fits into the Mediterranean diet, where desserts are usually nut and fruit-forward, like my raspberry oatmeal bars, chocolate torte (it’s made with almond flour and olive oil), or no-bake fruit and nut bars.
- As far as desserts go, this one is relatively healthy because it’s fairly low in sugar, has no flour, and it’s very high in healthy fats from olive oil and almonds.
- This is a fast, easy, and foolproof recipe.
- You can make it a day before and keep it in the refrigerator. The flavor and texture are even better the next day.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this cake. I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Lemons. You’ll need fresh lemon juice (not bottled!) and lemon zest for this recipe. Two large lemons should yield enough, but buy three just in case.
Olive oil. I use regular extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. The olive oil flavor works well with lemon, but it’s definitely not “olive flavored” or savory at all.
Almond flour. This is ground, blanched (skin removed) almonds, available in the baking section. You can also use almond meal, which is unblanched. It will give your cake a slightly darker color, but it won’t affect the flavor. Almond flour is gluten-free, so it does not rise like wheat flour, giving this cake a lovely, dense crumb.
Cornmeal. It’s often used in olive oil cakes because it adds a nice texture to the cake and a little bit of crunch, like cornbread. Use finely ground cornmeal, not polenta, which is too gritty.
Vanilla. Lemon, vanilla, and olive oil are made for each other! Use good-quality vanilla extract here.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you find Meyer lemons or are lucky enough to grow them, use them here. They are more round, with thinner skin and a slightly sweeter, less acidic flavor.
- If you don’t have (or like) cornmeal, omit it and use an extra ½ cup of almond flour in this recipe.
- Stir some fresh blueberries or raspberries into the batter before baking for a flavor variation.
- I love the lemon-vanilla combination, but you can also leave out one teaspoon of vanilla and substitute almond extract for a flavor variation.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Use a 9-inch springform pan that locks securely and doesn’t leak. Cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan, or use these precut parchment sheets to save measuring and cutting. NOTE: They also work well in your air fryer when you’re making air fryer apple chips, kale chips, or air fryer roasted garlic, and you want easy cleanup.
2. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the springform pan so the cake releases easily. Combine the almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set it aside.
3. Combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Mix it at medium-high speed for about three minutes until it has a light texture and pale yellow color.
4. Add the lemon juice, zest, and almond flour mixture. Mix it in on low speed, scraping down the sides to incorporate everything.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake it at 325ºF for 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
6. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the outside edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Open the springform latch to remove the cake.
Expert Tips
- Fill your springform pan with water before you use it to check that it doesn’t leak. If it doesn’t close tightly, you’ll have a mess in your oven. If you’re worried about leaking, wrap the outside tightly with foil to catch any leaks.
- Use a thin-bladed paring knife to help loosen the cake. Don’t use a thick dinner knife, as it will catch too much of the crumb and leave a messy edge.
- Run a knife or thin spatula underneath and slide the cake with the parchment paper onto a serving plate. But because this cake is very moist, I find it’s best to leave the paper under the cake to serve.
- You can make this several hours, to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator covered lightly with foil or plastic wrap. I loosen it from the pan but leave it in the pan in the refrigerator.
- This cake is easier to cut and serve when it’s cool.
How to Serve a Lemon Olive Oil Cake
This cake is honestly perfect as is, but you can also:
- Dust it with powdered sugar
- Top it with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
- Sprinkle finely chopped pistachios or almonds over the top
- Serve it with fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries
Recipe FAQs
Store this cake in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also wrap any leftover slices in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to three months.
You can use any type of olive oil you have in your pantry or that you prefer. A light olive oil tends to have a mild flavor, while a dark green olive oil has a deeper, fruitier, grassier flavor. Both work well.
Yes. I recommend a monk fruit-based sweetener with erythritol because it measures the same as sugar and has a clean, sweet taste. You can swap all of the sugar or just part of it. Keep in mind that sugar helps with browning and moisture, so your cake will have a slightly different result.
Other Fruit-Based Dessert Recipes
Don’t miss these other fruit-based desserts and sweet treats. They’re made with mostly (or all) healthy, dietitian-approved ingredients.
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Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest from about 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from about 2 lemons
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Spray the paper and sides of the pan and set it aside.
- Combine the almond flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk it lightly to combine the ingredients. Set this aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-high for about three minutes or until the mixture is light and pale yellow.
- Reduce the mixer speed and add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the almond flour mixture a little bit at a time to incorporate everything evenly. Scrape down the sides as needed and mix for another two minutes to ensure everything is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes. Gently run a thin knife around the edge, between the cake and pan, to loosen the cake. Open the latch and gently slide the cake (with the parchment paper) onto a serving platter.
- Store the cake in the refrigerator, lightly covered with foil or plastic wrap until ready to serve. It's easier to cut and serve when cool.
Delicious and so moist!