Lemon olive oil cake is an elegant and moist Italian dessert that uses fragrant lemon zest and olive oil to create a delicious treat.
Olive oil and lemons find a sweet purpose in this mascarpone–topped cake that melts in your mouth. Crown the cake with crushed amaretti cookies for a delicate crunch.
What’s a lemon olive oil cake?
Sun-ripened lemons and heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil meld together into a simple, delicious, and versatile olive oil cake.
We’ve tried olive oil in cakes before with great results! Olive oil works great with fruity desserts such as healthy banana bread, apple cake, and carrot cake.
With this lemon olive oil cake you can expect a tender and light crumb that stays moist forever! The trick?
We add the lemon juice after the cake is baked. This is a common practice in Italian baking, and most cakes are made like that and turn out delicious.
We top the cake with mascarpone frosting (you can use regular frosting), crumbled amaretti cookies (almond cookies) to contrast textures, and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
Lemon olive oil cake can be served next to tea or coffee, as a sweet breakfast, or as a homemade dessert.
Let the aromas of Italy fill your kitchen.
Ingredients
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
All-purpose flour: Substitute cake flour for a lighter cake or half all-purpose and half whole wheat for a rustic one.
Sugar: You can use white or brown sugar.
Extra virgin olive oil: Substitute regular olive oil for a milder flavor.
Eggs: Try to use the freshest eggs, if you can, from a farmer’s market or organic. For egg-free, follow our vegan lemon cake recipe instead.
Baking powder: Necessary for the cake to puff up.
Lemons: We use zest and juice. It’s best for you if they are organic or unwaxed since we are eating the peel.
Frosting: We make it with mascarpone cheese, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract. You can substitute cream cheese for mascarpone or maple syrup or sugar for honey. For a dairy-free option, check our our vegan cream cheese frosting recipe.
How to make lemon olive oil cake
1. Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line your cake pan with parchment paper.
Add the eggs, sugar, grated lemon zest, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to a large bowl.
Whisk with a hand mixer for 5 minutes or until the mixture is white and foamy.
Slowly pour in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking.
Pour in the milk, flour, and baking powder while whisking.
When the mixture is smooth, pour it into your prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Let cool down in the pan for 10 minutes, then move it onto a cooling rack.
2. Make syrup and frosting
While the cake bakes, prepare the syrup and the frosting.
SYRUP: In a small saucepan, warm the juice of 2 lemons with 2 – 4 tablespoons of sugar until the sugar melts. Set aside to cool. Pssst…Make it even more Italian (and more fun) by adding a shot of limoncello 🍋 !
FROSTING: In a mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone with Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla extract until creamy. If it starts to melt, put it back in the fridge.
3. Garnish the cake
To level the cake, cut off the very top part with a serrated knife (bread knife).
With a spoon, pour the lemon syrup over the cake, trying to cover every inch. You can use all the syrup. It’s going to be delicious!
Top with a layer of frosting.
Then garnish with crushed amaretti (crunchy almond cookies), lemon zest, and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
Storage
Refrigerator: If possible, keep the cake in the fridge, in a cake dome, for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: It’s best to freeze the cake without the mascarpone cream and without the lemon syrup.
If wrapped well, it keeps for 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then add syrup, frosting, and toppings.
Similar recipes
If you liked this Italian lemon olive oil cake, you might also enjoy:
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Equipment
- 1 cake pan 8 inches | 20 cm
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup sugar + 2 to 4 tablespoons for the lemon syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large lemons the grated zest + set aside the juice for the syrup
- ⅔ cup milk any, we use almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
FROSTING
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese substitute cream cheese
- ½ cup Greek yogurt substitute whipped cream
- 4 tablespoons honey or powdered sugar, you can add more to taste
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup amaretti cookies substitute another crunchy cookie
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line your cake pan with parchment paper.To a large bowl, add 2 large eggs, ¾ cup sugar, the grated zest of 2 large lemons, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt.Whisk with a hand mixer for 5 minutes or until foamy and creamy.Slowly pour in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil while whisking.
- Slowly add ⅔ cup milk, 2 cups all-purpose flour, and 1½ tablespoons baking powder and keep whisking until combined.Pour batter in the cake pan.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.Let cool down in the pan for 10 minutes then move it onto a cooling rack.
SYRUP AND FROSTING
- While the cake bakes, prepare the lemon syrup and the frosting.SYRUP: In a small saucepan, warm the juice of the 2 lemons with 4 tablespoons of sugar until the sugar melts. Set aside to cool.FROSTING: In a mixing bowl, whisk ½ cup mascarpone cheese with ½ cup Greek yogurt, 4 tablespoons honey, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract until creamy.
- To level the cake, cut off the very top part with a serrated knife (bread knife).With a spoon, pour the lemon syrup over the cake, trying to cover every inch. You can use all the syrup.
- Top with a layer of frosting. Then garnish with crushed amaretti (crunchy almond cookies), lemon zest, and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.
