The Lello Kitchen
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Tender, fragrant and deliberately simple—a cake built around olive oil rather than disguised by it.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook
- 38 minutes
- Serves
- one 8-inch / 20-cm cake
- Difficulty
- Baking
At the Lello table
Lemon-infused olive oil lets citrus perfume move through the crumb without relying only on zest. The batter is intentionally fluid; do not add extra flour to make it look more like butter cake batter.
Method
- Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk eggs and sugar for about 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then the milk and zest.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 34 to 40 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
Cook’s notes
- For the most reliable baking result, use the metric weights rather than cups.
- The cake is often better several hours after baking, once the olive oil has settled into the crumb.
Substitutions
- Plain extra virgin olive oil works, but add more lemon zest; the aroma will be less integrated.
- Plant milk can replace dairy milk, but lower-protein versions may produce a slightly more fragile crumb.
To serve
Serve plain, with softly whipped cream, or with a spoonful of floral confit.
Storage & make-ahead
Keep covered at cool room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 4 days and bring to room temperature before serving.
