This vegan olive oil cake is filled with lemon zest and topped with powdered sugar and fresh berries for deliciously subtle flavors and an ultra moist delicate crumb. It’s a decadent and beautiful dessert perfect for any occasion.
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We’ve made it to February. Just a month and a half of winter left!
This winter has been mild in Oregon but regardless, it’s been rough on me. The short days and cold airs have taken a toll. I’m ready for the clouds to part and give way to some much-needed sun. But with 6 weeks of winter left, there’s not much to do but accept this season for what it is. And so, I’m going to celebrate these winter days the best way I know how – with cake!
This Lemon Olive Oil Cake is perfect. It pulls in the citrusy flavors of winter with the freshness of spring for a transitional dessert between seasons that I know you’re going to love.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
How to Make Vegan Olive Oil Cake {Video}
What is an Olive Oil Cake
Olive oil cake is a rich, moist cake that uses – you guessed it – olive oil rather than butter as the fat. Because olive oil provides a subtle savoriness, this cake tends to be less sweet than most cakes. It’s one that can be served with fruit for dessert or alongside morning coffee as a breakfast cake.
While some other cakes and quick bread use oil rather than butter, olive oil provides the savory flavors of pepper and herbs. These subtle flavors pair deliciously with citrus and sugar for a simple cake this is wildly complex in flavor.
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
Olive oil cake is incredible. It is made with one of the most digestible fats available while providing a deliciously complex flavor that pairs perfectly with the citrus and fruity flavors. They are far moister than butter cakes meaning they last longer and store better.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – For this recipe you need a high quality olive oil. I recommend Bari’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Unsweetened Applesauce – The applesauce acts as the binder for these cookies. You can’t taste the applesauce but if you would prefer a different kind of egg replacer, check out my complete guide on replacing eggs to get a few more ideas.
- Non-Dairy Milk – I recommend a neutral-flavored milk such as soy or cashew milk but any non-dairy milk will do.
- Lemon – Fresh lemon is best. You will need both the juice and zest.
- Granulated Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements. For a healthier sugar alternative, I recommend coconut sugar.
- All-Purpose Flour – For a gluten-free option, you can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking Powder and Soda
- Salt
- Toppings (optional) – I like to top my cake with powdered sugar, lemon, blackberries, and fresh mint. However, you can use any combination of fresh fruit or omit the fruit altogether.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you’ll need basic kitchen equipment such as a mixing bowl, utensils, a wire cooling rack, and one 9″ cake pans. (<<affiliate links)
Check out the full list of my recommended kitchen tools and gadgets.
My Go-To Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Because the flavor is so pronounced, you have to choose the best quality olive oil for this cake. For that reason, when choosing an olive oil to provide the foundation of this dish, I turn to Bari Olive Oil Co.
Bari Olive Oil Co. is a California-based company that has been making high-quality olive oil for over 80 years. They are a family run company that is dedicated to producing the highest-quality products available. All their olives are grown in California, supporting local growers and organic small-batch processing, ensuring that their promise of high-quality is never compromised. And it shows!
Bari’s products are found throughout stores in California. But, fear not all you non-California dwelling readers. You can find all their incredible products online, too. So, go ahead and do a little shopping – perhaps some last-minute gifts for this Valentine’s Day – and fill your cupboards with these beautiful, high-quality oils and vinegar.
How to Make Vegan Olive Oil Cake
Step One – Make the Batter
Whisk together olive oil, apple sauce, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar until the mixture is thick and consistent. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until the dry ingredients are evenly hydrated and the batter is thick and smooth.
Pro Tip: Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing allows the gluten to develop and too much gluten will give you gummy and dense cake.
Step Two – Bake Cake
Pour the batter into an 8″ or 9″ cake pan and bake between 45 and 60 minutes. When the cake is done, you’ll notice that it has begun to pull away from the edges slightly. At that point, you can insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, then it’s all ready to go!
Note: an 8″ cake will be thicker and therefore take a little longer in the oven.
Once the cake is ready, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool at least 30 minutes in the cake pan before flipping it out onto a wire cooling rack. This is very important as the structure of the cake is still firming up. If you flip it over too early, it may fall apart or stick to the pan.
Let the cake continue cooling on a wire cooling rack until it is completely cool. To speed this up, you can place the cake in the refrigerator at this point. It’s important that the cake is completely cool before powdering it with sugar to prevent the sugar from melting.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Once your cake is cool, dust a layer of powdered sugar over the top and decorate it with lemon, berries, and fresh mint.
Storing – Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this cake for up to 2 months. To thaw, pull the cake from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for several hours.
Tips and Tricks
- The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
- When making any kind of cake or quick bread, take care not to overmix. Overmixing allows the gluten strands to develop making the cake gummy. Mix until just combined to ensure a light, delicate crumb.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 45 minutes.
- To prevent the cake from sticking, put a parchment paper at the bottom of the cake pan. You can do this by placing the cake pan on top of a piece of parchment paper and tracing the outside. Cut it to fit exactly and place it snuggly on the bottom. After your parchment paper is in place, generously spray the pan with cooking oil.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Triple Chocolate Beet Bundt Cake
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cake
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
Olive Oil Cake
- 3/4 cup Bari’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup non-dairy milk, I use soy
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
Toppings
- 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh blackberries
- a few sprigs of fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of an 8″ or 9″ cake pan with a piece of parchment paper. Generously spray the pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, apple sauce, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar until the mixture is thick and consistent. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until the dry ingredients are evenly hydrated and the batter is thick and smooth.
- Pour cake into the prepared cake pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool 30 minutes before flipping onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, dust with powdered sugar. Top with blackberries, lemon, and fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- When making any kind of cake or quick bread, take care not to overmix. Overmixing allows the gluten strands to develop making the cake gummy. Mix until just combined to ensure a light, delicate crumb.
- Do not open the oven door while the cake is baking. This causes the structure to fall leaving you with a dent in the middle of your cake. You can check for doneness after 45 minutes.
- To prevent the cake from sticking, put a parchment paper at the bottom of the cake pan. You can do this by placing the cake pan on top of a piece of parchment paper and tracing the outside. Cut it to fit exactly and place it snuggly on the bottom. After your parchment paper is in place, generously spray the pan with cooking oil.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Suzan says
This was my first vegan cake; so easy and soooo delicious. Christmas Eve dinner dessert, daughter is non-dairy, and BIL is no egg and no fruit/sugar combo. I used palm sugar (BIL can have this) instead of cane sugar (left a slice sans powdered sugar for him), and soy milk. Everyone loved it! Great lemon flavor and perfect amount of sweetness, not over the top. Raspberries went really well with it. I think this will be our new Christmas Eve dessert! Thank you for creating/sharing this delicious recipe!
Mary Jo says
My niece is Vegan, so I made this for her for Thanksgiving, but it didn’t have any unusual ingredients, so everyone enjoyed it. It is very light and flavorful.
Elizabeth says
This is my absolute favorite dessert recipe! I have made it for several family and friend functions, and it is a huge hit each time! I typically use unsweetened vanilla almond or coconut milk, and both worked great! This recipe is also very easy to follow, which is super helpful. Highly recommend!!
Ngo Zi says
This recipe (with some modifications) was a hit! I used abt 5/6 c of sugar and maybe 1.5 tbs of lemon juice and 1.5 tbs zest. Then I soaked it with a (quickly made) rosemary infused lemon syrup. OMG!! Folks were pining for more! Tasted just like what my mama used to make but vegan and with rosemary. Will def recommend AND use this recipe again.
Keely says
Good day Ngo, May I ask for your rosemary infused lemon syrup recipe and when you say infused, does that mean you poured over the cake? Appreciate a response. Sounds devine! XOXO
Debbie says
This cake turned out beautifully and so yummy! It is so flavorful. I followed the directions exactly. Thank you!
Winona says
This has become my go to cake. I’m a vegan, but it is loved by my non-vegan friends too. This morning I was baking this cake for a friend’s anniversary (because it is her husband’s favorite cake) and I realized I had never left a review. Thank you for this recipe! It has definitely brought a lot of joy and smiles 😋
Ms.Sundri says
Hi Sarah
May I use good quality of butter instead olive oil.
your advise please
Thank you
Jordan says
I’m sure that would make a fine cake, but it wouldn’t be olive oil cake. Olive oil gives it a certain depth that is unbeatable!
Danielle says
This is a great vegan cake recipe! I used apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. Also, I added cardamom and ginger and it makes it the most wonderfully fragrant and not-to-sweet dessert.
Rose says
What other olive oil brands would you recommend for baking?
Leah says
This cake was rich, tender and flavorful! I added blueberries to make it even more summery and it was super good. Next time I might add more lemon juice or zest for even more flavor but it was extremely good as is!
ALT says
Yum, this is so fresh and bright! Love it.
Angela says
I am in awe. I love baking and turned vegan about a year ago. Since turning vegan, my carnivorous partner has not liked anything I have baked. WELL, today I made this for friends and my partner loved this cake along with our friends. I just want to say thank you for restoring my faith in my ability to bake. PS-we only had olive oil and it worked well! Will definitely try extra virgin when we have it in.
BN says
I made this yesterday. SUPER EASY!!!
I used 2 small fresh lemons for the juice and it really needed more so next time I will use more lemons as I would like the tang against the olive oil for a nice balance.
I used a silicone muffin pan, as I don’t bake cakes. I also have a convection oven. Set at 350, and baked for 20 minutes. They can out PERFECTLY! They were so light and fluffy, and had a wonderful aroma.
So glad I found this. It’s a keeper for me.
Alexis says
Hii! I see you have the nutrition facts at the end. Is this per slice?
Sarah McMinn says
Yes, it is
Ania says
This cake is literal lemony PERFECTION! It reminds me of the lemon pound cake you can find at Starbucks. The moistness is off the charts with a nice little crunch around the edges. It’s super easy to make and so much fun decorating once it has cooled down. I will be making this cake over and over again. You will not regret making this!
Melissa says
I thought I had baked a disaster but it came out delicious! My batter overflowed…like a lot (a good reminder to use foil or a baking sheet underneath cake pans). I baked for 60 mins & it still sunk in the middle while the overflowed batter got very crispy. Once the cake was cooled I separated those crispy bits on the sides and flipped it out of the pan and surprisingly it held together! With powdered sugar & garnishes you don’t notice the sunken center, just the incredible lemon flavor & soft sponge. Looking forward to making it again soon & learning from my prior errors.