High Altitude Lemon Olive Oil Cake

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This high altitude lemon olive oil cake is so moist and soft, with a delicate fruity flavor and a fluffy, tender cake crumb. This cake is wonderful drizzled with tart lemon icing, and can be served still slightly warm from the oven.

You might also love these recipes for Italian lemon ricotta cake, lemon bundt cake, and lemon pistachio tea cake.

A slice of lemon olive oil cake on a plate.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fresh Bright Flavors. There’s no lemon extract in this cake, just lots of fresh lemon zest and lemon juice to complement the fruity flavor of the olive oil.

Quick and Easy. You won’t need a mixer or any special equipment to make this olive oil lemon cake. And since the cake can be served warm, you don’t have to wait long at all to enjoy a slice.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

Lemon olive oil cake with lemon icing, lemon slices and chopped pecans.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Lemons. You’ll need fresh lemons for the best flavor in your cake, as you’ll be using both the zest and the juice.
Sugar. You’ll be using granulated sugar in the cake, which adds sweetness as well as moisture. Powdered sugar will be needed for the icing.
Flour. I prefer cake flour for today’s recipe, which has a lower percentage of protein compared to all purpose flour, yielding a very soft, fluffy cake.
Baking Powder. Leavening agent, so the cake rises as it bakes.
Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors.
Eggs. Add moisture and strength.
Milk. Moisture and a little richness.
Olive Oil. Keeps the cake very moist and soft. A lemon cake with olive oil has a bright, fruity flavor that’s just wonderful, and the texture will be much lighter and fluffier than a cake made with butter.
Vanilla Extract. Flavor.

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with non-stick baking spray, and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper.
In a bowl, use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until moist and fragrant.

Step 2 for making lemon poppy seed cake.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk until evenly distributed.
Add the egg, egg white, milk, oil, vanilla and lemon juice, and whisk until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool for 30 minutes.

Icing

In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.
After the cake has cooled in the pan for 30 minutes, gently turn it out of the pan and set it on a serving plate.
Pour the icing on top of the warm cake, then let the cake sit and cool for another 30 minutes, while the icing sets.

Lemon slices arranged on top of a lemon cake.

Serve the cake warm, or at room temperature. Just before serving, decorate the top of the cake with fresh lemon slices and a sprinkling of finely chopped pecans.

Lemon olive oil cake with one slice cut.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store leftover lemon olive oil cake?

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

You can use either, but fresh lemon juice will have the best flavor for this cake. Also, you need fresh lemons anyway, since you’ll be using the zest.

What kind of olive oil did you use?

You can use either extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or refined olive oil. EVOO will have a stronger, fruitier flavor than refined olive oil, and is also more expensive. I used Costco (Kirkland brand) olive oil, which is a blend of both.

Can I use a 9 inch pan instead of 8 inch?

Yes, you can, although the cake will take less time to bake, and will be thinner.

Can I use orange zest and juice instead of lemon juice?

Orange juice and lemon juice are not interchangeable in baking, since orange juice is much sweeter and far less acidic than lemon juice. These properties will affect both the texture and the leavening, so your cake may not bake correctly if you make this substitution.

Citrus sour cream pie with whipped cream and sliced lemons, limes and oranges. — Citrus Pie

Lemon pistachio tea cake with lemon icing dripping down. — Citrus Pie

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