Lemon Olive Oil Cake – Sur La Table Recipe

Lemon Olive Oil Cake is a light and tender cake recipe, bursting with fresh lemon flavor and a sweet simple lemon glaze. Our easy lemon cake recipe with olive oil is perfect for a delicious dessert or sweet snack with afternoon tea.

Tried by hundreds, this Sur La Table cake recipe is a favorite of anyone who bakes it.

One whiff of lemon, and I feel renewed! One taste of Lemon Cake with olive oil takes me back to summer and sunshine but can brighten any day of the year.

What is a Lemon Sur La Table Olive Oil Cake

One afternoon my daughter and I went into Sur La Table. This is a kitchen gadget store that I visit once in a while just because.

On this particular day, they were having a sale on Marca Verde olive oil and handing out samples of a baked lemon olive oil cake. What? Olive oil in a cake?

I had never heard of it, but one measly little bite of that tangy treat later, and I was in love. I grabbed a copy of the recipe and left. Thank you, Sur La Table (hearts inserted here).

Lemons are one of those gifts that we have in the wintertime that remind us that not everything is blah and colorless!

I couldn’t stop thinking about this cake. It was so fresh and delicious. I went back a couple of days later and bought the olive oil.

I waited for two whole days. No obsessive-compulsive behavior here. I put this wonderful cake together and knew I had to share it.

Why You’ll Love this Olive Oil Cake with Lemon

• Simple ingredients. You probably have everything you need already in your kitchen, especially if you love good olive oil as much as I do.
• Full-size cake. Fill a 9 x 13 pan, or bundt pan, or make a lemon loaf cake and serve everyone you love with this zesty lemon olive oil cake recipe!
• Perfect any time of year! This simple cake doesn’t need a special occasion. Whether you are relishing in the heat of summer poolside or huddling around the fire in February, you will enjoy this cake.
• The texture is divine. This soft and tender lemon oil cake is always perfectly moist and has a beautiful glaze that adds a light crunch.

Equipment Needed to Make Lemon Cake with Olive Oil

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• Bundt cake pan. This cake uses everyday ingredients and no fancy gadgets. You can also make this in a 9″x13″ cake pan.
• Citrus Juicer – A good citrus juicer is a must that will make squeezing lemons a breeze.
• Microplane Zester. I use this tool not only for zesting citrus but for grating cheese and chocolate too.

Easy Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Ingredients

There isn’t anything unusual here, so you should be able to get all of these olive oil cake ingredients at your local grocery store, and you may already have them on your shelf.

• Flour. All-Purpose Flour works perfectly.
• Sugar. White Granulated Sugar.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda. These help this cake rise in the oven and achieve the perfect texture you will love.
• Salt. You can use any variety, and it will work.
• Milk. I used skim milk but plant-based milk is fine. Use what you have on hand.
• Lemon. Zest and freshly squeezed juice.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I used Marca Verde Extra-Virgin olive oil, but any good quality olive oil will work. You also can use a lighter olive oil for less olive oil flavor.
• Vanilla – Pure or imitation will work.
• Eggs – I always use large for the sake of consistency.
• Powdered Sugar – The confectioners’ sugar is used for the glaze as a finishing touch.

Please note, that the printable recipe card has ingredient quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

How to make Lemon Olive Oil cake from scratch?

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. Fold together until combined. You don’t need an electric mixer for this recipe.
2. Pour the cake batter into a prepared pan and bake.
3. While the cake bakes, make the glaze by adding the ingredients to a small bowl and whisking it together until smooth and free of lumps.

4. Remove the cake from the oven when golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
5. Spoon half the glaze over the cake. Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then turn it onto a serving plate.
6. Drizzle the remaining glaze over the cake and allow it to cool completely.

How do I pick the perfect Olive Oil for baking?

The best olive oil is Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This oil is cold-pressed and the result is very pure oil with a fruity aroma. Other olive oils are a mixture of oils that may be cold-pressed and may be processed differently. As a result, they are less pure and have a less rich flavor.

What to Serve with your Olive Oil Lemon Cake

This cake is lovely all by itself, but if you want to be extra (and sometimes we should be!), top the cake with fresh berries, macerated fruit, whipped cream, or ice cream.

Substitutions – Additions – Variations

• Sub orange juice instead of lemon. It is sometimes called a citrus olive oil cake and works with other juice as well.
• Add poppyseed for a classic twist.
• Go extra rich. Top the cake with cream cheese frosting.
• Use a different pan. Get my free Baking Pan Conversion Chart.
• Add contrast. Top with fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries or macerated fruit for a nice contrasting flavor.
• Grate Lemon Zest. Add a sprinkling of lemon zest to the glazed cake for a special touch.
• Dress it up. Add a dollop of mascarpone cheese or crème fraiche.

Best Way To Store Lemon Cake with Olive Oil

Store your leftover cake at room temp lightly covered or refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.

Can I Freeze/Thaw Olive Oil Cake with Lemon?

Yes. Freeze the cake whole in an airtight container or freeze individual slices. To thaw the whole cake, remove it from the freezer at least one day in advance. To thaw individual servings, about thirty seconds in the microwave should do it. Add small amounts of time until it is thawed the way you want.

You may want to mix up more of the simple lemon glaze and drizzle it over the top before serving after thawing it out. You can also just give it a fresh dusting of confectioner’s sugar.

Lemon Olive Oil Cake FAQs

Lemon is so versatile. It’s a healthier way to add flavor to your favorite dish and is an amazing cleaning product. Here is a free printable for some of my favorite ways to use it.

Tips to Make the Perfect Lemon OIive Oil Cake

Use fresh lemon. It isn’t hard to juice a lemon and the resulting juice has better flavor and less acid than bottled.

Use quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It should read that it’s cold-pressed and mechanically processed. This means that it’s made without chemicals or heat, which helps preserve its nutrients and nutritional value.

Zest the lemon before juicing it.

Cool completely before slicing. This is a tender cake that will slice best once it’s allowed to cool.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Some of our Favorite Recipes with Lemon

• Lemon Cake Mix Cookies
• Blueberry Lemonade Pie
• Lemon Pistachio Muffins
• Old-Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie
• Lemon Pudding Poke Cake
• Blackened Salmon with Lemon Butter

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This recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Cake was originally shared on 3/10/15. I’ve added some new images, tips, and answered some questions to improve my reader’s experience. No changes were made to the recipe.