Amazing 1 olive oil cake for brunch

You know, some baking ingredients just sing when they get warm. For me, that choir starts with olive oil. There’s something so wonderfully evocative about swapping heavy butter for good, fruity olive oil. It instantly transports you to sunny tables in the Mediterranean, and trust me, it makes something truly special happen to your crumb. That’s why I’ve perfected my Super Moist Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe. It’s quick, it’s incredibly easy—you don’t even need a fancy mixer for this one!—and the best part? This olive oil cake stays magically fresh and tender for days. As someone who loves simple, comforting food that tastes like it took hours, this citrus beauty has become my go-to for everything from a quiet morning coffee to a lovely brunch gathering.

SAVE IT

Why This Super Moist Lemon Olive Oil Cake is a Kitchen Staple

I’m not exaggerating when I say this is my favorite moist cake recipe to make when I know I’ll be busy later in the week. It’s my answer to those times I need a show-stopping, yet incredibly simple, dessert. Honestly, this is the cake I rely on when I need something foolproof that guests rave about. You’re going to love how quickly you can whisk this together!

• It holds its moisture better than almost any other cake I bake—truly fresh for days.
• It’s perfect for serving alongside coffee or tea, making it one of my favorite breakfast and brunch cake ideas.
• There’s minimal cleanup since you’re mostly using just big bowls and whisks.

The Secret to an Incredibly Tender Crumb Cake

When we talk about a tender crumb cake, the olive oil is the hero, plain and simple. Unlike butter, which solids up as it cools, olive oil stays liquid. This keeps the cake beautifully soft and hydrated right out of the oven and keeps it that way days later. That’s why we never substitute it out!

Mediterranean Baking Meets Easy Dessert Recipes

This recipe really embraces the spirit of Mediterranean baking—bright flavors, good olive oil, and simple methods. Since we skip the creaming process where you beat butter and sugar for ages, cleanup is a breeze, and it fits perfectly into my category of easy dessert recipes. It feels fancy, but it’s so straightforward!

Gathering Ingredients for Your Best Olive Oil Cake

Okay, let’s talk about what you need to pull this beautiful, citrusy cake together. Since this is a no butter cake recipe, the quality of your oil really matters, and the lemon needs to be fresh—don’t even look at that bottled stuff! We’re keeping this ingredient list short and sweet, just like the cake itself. Remember, simple recipes let the ingredients shine, so choose them wisely, and you’re halfway to success.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Olive Oil Cake

My biggest piece of advice here is about that oil. You must use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. You’re going to taste it! If your oil tastes bitter or grassy, your cake will too. Stick to one you’d happily drizzle over a good salad. We need that fruity note to balance the sugar and lemon zest. If you don’t have whole milk on hand, you can totally use buttermilk instead—it adds a tiny bit of tang that works wonderfully with the lemon, making the cake even more tender.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Alright, let’s get this easy dessert recipe into the oven! Since there’s no waiting around for softened butter, this whole process flies by. Make sure your oven is heated up to 350°F (175°C) before you even touch the sugar. I always give my 9-inch round pan a good grease and light flouring, just to be absolutely sure nothing sticks when it’s time to turn the cake out.

First things first: combine your dry stuff—the flour, baking powder, and salt—in one bowl and whisk it up. This keeps everything evenly distributed; we don’t want any surprise clumps of baking powder, right?

Mixing the Batter for a Perfect Olive Oil Cake

Now, for the wet ingredients, the magic happens here. Grab your biggest bowl and vigorously whisk the sugar and eggs together for a good two minutes. You want it to get pale and a little fluffy—this is incorporating air, even without the mixer! Once you see that pale color, slowly start streaming in that good olive oil while you keep whisking steadily. Don’t just dump it in, or you’ll shock the mixture!

After the oil is fully incorporated, swirl in the milk, fresh lemon juice, and all that gorgeous zest. Don’t mix this part too long; we just want it blended. Then, you’ll add those dry ingredients in stages. Remember the rule: mix just until they disappear! I mean it, stop when you see the last streak of flour; this is how we guarantee that lovely tender crumb cake texture. Overmixing here is the enemy, I promise you.

Baking and Glazing the Tender Crumb Cake

Pour that beautiful batter into your prepared pan and pop it into the preheated oven. It usually takes me about 40 minutes, but you’ll need to check around the 35-minute mark. Stick a wooden skewer right into the center—if it pops out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, you’re golden. If it’s wet, give it another five minutes.

Cooling is important! Let the cake settle in the pan for about 15 minutes. This lets it firm up a bit before you try to flip it onto a wire rack to cool completely. While it cools, make the simple glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and that last bit of lemon juice. Drizzle it over the top for that picture-perfect lemon drizzle cake finish. You can even check out my tips for making other moist loaves like this moist cinnamon swirl apple bread to see how cooling times matter!

SAVE IT

Tips for Baking the Best Olive Oil Cake Every Time

Now that you know the core method, let me share a few hard-won kitchen tips that guarantee success every single time you make this olive oil cake. These little details are what separate a ‘good’ cake from the ‘best.’ Honestly, I learned these the hard way after one admittedly oily disaster early on!

First, let’s talk pans. Since this is such a rich, easy dessert recipe, it loves to stick if you aren’t careful! I usually reach for a regular 9-inch round pan, but if you’re making this for your next event, you might want to use a tube or Bundt pan. If you go that route, you absolutely must use cake goop—that homemade shortening/oil/flour paste I use for everything. If you skip preparing the pan perfectly, you risk breaking that gorgeous, tender crumb cake when you try to invert it.

Also, even though this cake bakes relatively quickly, remember that oven temperatures can lie! I highly recommend you check your oven calibration now and then using a separate, inexpensive oven thermometer. If your oven runs hot, this cake can dry out faster than we want it to, even with the olive oil working hard to keep it moist.

Here’s my absolute favorite non-tip: Don’t eat it all right away! I know it’s tempting, especially with that bright lemon glaze tempting you, but I promise you, this cake is even better the next day. The flavors truly marry overnight. Just store your leftover slices well-covered at room temperature, and you’ll have an incredible treat ready for a mid-morning snack. If you’re looking for more reliable homemade desserts that hold up well throughout the week, make sure to check out what else I’ve got!

Flavor Variations: Beyond the Lemon Olive Oil Cake

While this bright lemon version is my favorite—it’s a spectacular citrus coffee cake, honestly—the beauty of a simple olive oil cake base is how versatile it is! It loves herbs and it handles chocolate like a dream. If you’re feeling adventurous, this is where you can really make the recipe your own and surprise your family. It’s all about playing with those aromatic notes that pair so well with the oil.

Creating a Rosemary Lemon Dessert or Citrus Coffee Cake

If you’re aiming for something truly sophisticated for your next afternoon tea sweets spread, try adding rosemary. You don’t need much! Finely chop about one teaspoon of fresh rosemary and scatter it right into the wet ingredients along with the lemon zest. The piney scent marries beautifully with the citrus. It turns a simple cake into an elegant rosemary lemon dessert that feels straight out of a Tuscan villa. It’s warm, earthy, and absolutely wonderful.

Making a Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Getting a great chocolate olive oil cake is easier than you think! To swap this lemon recipe, you’ll need about 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder. Since cocoa powder dries things out a bit, I slightly reduce the wheat flour by about 1/4 cup to compensate. You might also want to add an extra splash (maybe a tablespoon) of milk or buttermilk just to make sure that crumb stays nice and shock-proof and wonderfully moist. It gives you that intense, deeply flavorful cake without needing any butter at all!

Storage and Keeping Your Olive Oil Cake Fresh

This is one of the best parts about making this particular olive oil cake, and it’s a huge selling point if you’re baking ahead of time for a party! Unlike a traditional, airy butter cake that starts to dry out by day two, this beauty actually tastes even better on day two. Why? Because those lovely olive oil molecules get to settle in and fully meld with the lemon zest and sugar.

You absolutely do not need to refrigerate this cake! Putting it in the fridge is the fastest way to ruin that incredible texture we worked so hard to achieve. The cold air dries out the crumb almost instantly, and we definitely don’t want that. I always keep mine right on the counter.

The trick is how you cover it. If you’ve made it in a round pan, leave it on the cooling rack if it fits, or carefully transfer the whole thing onto a large serving platter. Then, drape it loosely with plastic wrap or place it under a large cake dome. It should stay perfectly moist and ready to slice for a solid three to four days. It’s the definition of a fantastic make ahead dessert! If you’re left with just a few sad crumbs at the end of the week, you know it was a success!

Serving Suggestions for This Mediterranean Baking Treat

Now that you have this perfectly moist, zesty olive oil cake cooling on the rack, it’s time to figure out how to serve it up! Honestly, sometimes I just cut a big wedge warm in the kitchen and eat it standing up—it’s that good. But if you’re serving it to friends or family, this cake is so flexible. It fits right in at almost any occasion, which is why I love it so much for my everyday collection of easy dessert recipes.

For a cozy afternoon, it’s heaven as one of your afternoon tea sweets. If you skimped on the lemon glaze, just grab some powdered sugar and dust it lightly over the top. That clean, simple look lets the beautiful yellow color of the cake peek through, and it tastes just as wonderful.

SAVE IT

If you’re taking this to a big family brunch, treat it like a fancy coffee cake. A dollop of freshly whipped cream—and I mean real, unsweetened cream you whip yourself—is the perfect contrast to the bright lemon. Or, grab a few beautiful, fresh berries! Strawberries or even raspberries offer a tartness that complements the oiliness magically. It’s stunning served plain, but a little fresh fruit just elevates the whole Mediterranean vibe we’ve got going on here.

For dessert, I sometimes slice it and serve it slightly warm with maybe a tiny drizzle of warm honey on top if I’m feeling decadent. See? It takes zero effort to dress this simple cake up or keep it completely down-to-earth. It’s a winner either way!

Frequently Asked Questions About Baking with Olive Oil

I get so many questions about this recipe once people figure out it’s a no butter cake recipe! Baking with oil is a little different than creaming butter, so I totally get why you might be curious about swapping things out. Here are the top things people ask me when they are making their first olive oil cake.

Can I substitute canola oil for olive oil in this olive oil cake recipe?

That is a totally valid question, especially if you happen to be out of olive oil! You absolutely *can* use a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil here. It will still give you an incredibly moist cake recipe and a lovely, tender crumb cake. However, you will lose that beautiful depth of flavor that makes the Mediterranean baking style so unique. To me, the best olive oil cake has that little hint of peppery, fruity note that only good extra virgin olive oil provides. So, if you’re looking for the *best* flavor, stick with the oil. If you just need a quick, moist cake and aren’t worried about the classic taste, a neutral oil works just fine.

How do I adapt this recipe for a simple bundt cake?

I often bake this in my Bundt pan because it looks so pretty once the lemon glaze is drizzled over it! You need to be extra diligent with pan preparation here. Even though this olive oil cake is rich, it can stick to those deeper crevices if you’re not prepared. I use my easy dessert recipes trick and grease the pan thoroughly with shortening and then dust it well with flour.

Because the Bundt pan is usually deeper than a standard 9-inch round pan, you’ll need to add about 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time. Start checking it closely around the 45-minute mark. You want that skewer to come out clean, just like with the round cake, but the center will take longer to bake through. It’s worth the extra wait to get that perfect simple bundt cake structure!

Does this lemon olive oil cake taste too oily?

This is my number one question! And the answer, if you use a good quality oil, is a resounding no! When you use a light, neutral oil, you don’t taste anything other than the sweetness and the lemon. If you use a very intense, peppery, strong extra virgin olive oil, you will definitely taste it, which many people love! But for the average person wanting that bright citrus flavor, use a mid-range, fruity olive oil. The goal here is moisture, not an oil slick! The sugar and the eggs balance out the fat beautifully, resulting in what I consider the perfect tender crumb cake.

How long does this citrus coffee cake stay fresh?

This is why I adore this recipe! Since it’s an olive oil cake, it’s fantastic right out of the oven, but it is even better the next day. I’ve kept leftover slices, covered loosely on the counter, for four full days, and they are still incredibly moist. That’s something you just cannot say about most cakes made with butter. It’s the perfect make-ahead treat for your next brunch cake ideas gathering!

Your Next Steps After Making This Olive Oil Cake

Now that you’ve baked this stunning, easy olive oil cake, I truly hope you’re enjoying that first slice. Seeing that bright lemon shine through the tender crumb is just the best feeling, isn’t it? I put so much love into developing this recipe—you know, fiddling with ratios until I finally landed on the perfect balance for this incredibly moist cake recipe.

SAVE IT

I would absolutely love to hear what you think! When you get a moment, please come on back here and leave a quick rating, or better yet, tell me in the comments how it turned out for you. Did you serve it for brunch, or was it reserved for a quiet evening dessert? Your feedback helps others feel confident enough to try it, and I cherish reading about your kitchen adventures.

If you enjoyed how simple and delicious this lemon beauty was, why not dive into more of my everyday baking creations? You can always head over to the main blog page to see what else I’ve been whipping up lately. Maybe you’re ready for a savory treat next, or perhaps something else sweet that’s just as easy to manage. And if you want to see another site that really masters this style of cake, I always recommend checking out the original inspiration from The View From Great Island on their amazing lemon olive oil cake. Happy baking, friends!

Super Moist Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Easy, Mediterranean Style)

Print Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

You get a wonderfully moist and tender cake with bright citrus flavor using simple ingredients. This easy olive oil cake stays fresh for days, making it perfect for brunch or an afternoon tea break.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 55 min
• Yield: 10 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• Zest of 2 large lemons
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for glaze)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or a standard loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
4. Slowly stream in the olive oil while continuing to whisk until fully combined.
5. Whisk in the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until just blended. Do not overmix.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of flour.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
8. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking time varies based on your pan size.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
10. While the cake cools, prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth.
11. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before slicing and serving.

Notes

• This cake tastes even better the next day because the olive oil flavor deepens. Store it covered at room temperature.
• For a Mediterranean baking touch, use a fruity, high-quality olive oil.
• You can substitute orange zest and juice for lemon for a different citrus flavor.
• This recipe works well as a simple bundt cake; increase the baking time slightly if you use a larger pan.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 30
• Sodium: 180
• Fat: 18
• Saturated Fat: 2.5
• Unsaturated Fat: 15.5
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 45
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 5
• Cholesterol: 65