Every time I bake with olive oil, I’m reminded why it works so well in cakes. It keeps them moist for days! And this lemon olive oil cake is living proof, boos. It’s got a lot of lemon flavor too, which is like my fave flavor in the world. Serve it for dessert or with your morning coffee because we grown and we can do what we want. Thank you, Leidi, for testing this lemon olive oil cake recipe until it was perfect!
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How to Make a Lemon Olive Oil Cake
These step-by-step photos show how to make an easy lemon olive oil cake, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
1. Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt to a small bowl
Whisk until combined, and set aside.
2. Whisk together the sugar and lemon zest, then add the eggs
Add them one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition, whisking until the mixture thickens, lightens in color, and looks aerated.
3. Whisk in the vanilla, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil
Drizzle it while continuing to whisk until fully combined and smooth.
4. Alternate adding dry ingredients and lemon juice to the bowl
Mix just until a smooth batter forms.
PRO TIP: Use a mild, extra-virgin olive oil. Skip anything super herbaceous or intense. Those stronger oils can overpower the lemon flavor instead of letting it shine.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan
Tap the pan on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
Let cool briefly in the pan, then invert onto a wire rack.
7. Add syrup ingredients to a pan
Cook, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer.
8. Brush the cake with lemon syrup
While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over with a toothpick or skewer and immediately brush with the lemon syrup. Let the cake cool completely.
PRO TIP: Roll the lemons firmly on the counter before cutting, then juice them while they’re at room temperature. You will get WAY more juice without working so hard!
9. Add the lemon glaze ingredients to a measuring cup
Stir until smooth and pourable.
10. Drizzle the glaze over your cooled Meyer lemon olive oil cake
Sprinkle with extra lemon zest if desired, then slice and serve!
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Full Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 1/4 cup granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 1 lb meyer lemons, zested and juiced *The lemons should produce about ¾-1 cup of juice. Be sure to measure that! Any leftover juice can be used for the glaze.
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Syrup
- 1/4 cup meyer lemon juice
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or cane sugar
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream up to 3 tablespoons
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup Bundt pan with butter and a little flour.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the eggs aerate, thicken and lighten in color.
- Add the vanilla to the large bowl, whisking to fully combine. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
- Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the lemon juice to the rest of the ingredients. Mix until a smooth batter forms. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the pan onto a wire cooling rack.
For the Syrup
- Place lemon juice and sugar into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until simmering and all sugar has dissolved.
- While the cake is still hot, poke it with a toothpick or skewer and immediately brush with syrup.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
For the Glaze
- Place powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla into a 2 cup measuring cup. Stir with a fork until fully combined. Drizzle over cake.
- Top the cake with any leftover lemon zest you might have and serve!
Notes
How to Store
- Room Temp: Keep the cake covered or in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. Olive oil cakes stay moist until their last days!
- Fridge: You can pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Cover it well so it doesn’t dry out, and let slices come back to room temp before serving.
- Freezer: Wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature until soft.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Always start with the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together until the sugar feels damp and smells real lemony. That step pulls out the most citrus flavor, so don’t skip it!
- Use a microplane for the zest. You only want the yellow skin from the lemons. Leave the white pith alone, it’s real bitter.
- Mix gently once the flour goes in. Overmixing will leave you with a chewy olive oil Bund cake. It’s best if you mix the batter just until everything comes together.
- Protect your oven, boos. This batter is thin-ish, so slide a large baking sheet under the Bundt pan to catch any drips while it bakes.
Recipe Help
Nah boo. As long as you’re using a mild olive oil, you won’t get a strong olive oil flavor at all. You can also use a light olive oil or neutral oil.
Yup! Swap the eggs for a liquid egg replacer or flax eggs, use a plant-based milk for the glaze, and make sure your sugar is vegan-friendly.
Yeah, they work just fine. The flavor will be a bit sharper, though.
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I’ve made this many times — it’s the best recipe out there! Have you ever added fresh blueberries to the batter?
No, I haven’t, but I am sure you could! And, thank you so much!
Hi! I’m just curious as to why you don’t also have measurements by weight?
Hi there! That’s such a great question—thank you for asking! I totally understand that a lot of bakers love using weight measurements for that extra level of precision. I personally grew up baking using cups and spoons, and that’s how I still love to develop and share my recipes today. It’s how my grandmother taught me, and it’s part of that comforting, passed-down tradition that makes baking feel like home to me.
That said, I completely get the value of baking by weight—it’s just not how I test my recipes, so I don’t feel comfortable converting to grams since it might not turn out quite the same. I always want to make sure what I share reflects exactly how I bake in my own kitchen, so you can get the same delicious results at home.
But I so appreciate you bringing this up! I’m always thinking about how to make my recipes more helpful for everyone, so I’ll definitely keep it in mind.
Very useful to list your flour weight in grams. Going to make it noW
Can I make this into a half sheet cake?
Hi Susan, I don’t see why not! I do not have a recipe for it as I haven’t tested it.
Cannot wait to try this. When you juice the lemons, you say they could produce between 3/4-1 cup of juice. How much exactly do you add to the cake batter? 3/4 cup or 1 cup? Feels like a quarter cup of liquid one way or the other can make a huge difference in final outcome.
Yep 3/4 cup for this.
This cake looks so perfect for spring! I never would have thought to include cornmeal.
I hope you enjoy!
This sounds delicious! Cannot wait to make it! Is there N alternative flour you can use in place of all purpose flour? Some of the women at my office need a gluten free dessert! Thanks!
You can substitute the all purpose flour for a gluten free flour that says it can be a replacement at a 1:1 ratio. Hope that helps and everyone enjoys!
Wonderful recipe. Everyone loved it. Do you think this could be made with blood oranges instead of Meyer lemons?
I don’t see why not! If you try it you’ll have to let me know what you think!