Best Moist Lemon Olive Oil Cake – Quick and Flavourful

This Italian-inspired lemon olive oil cake is moist, featuring a crunchy top and a soft, light centre. It's a dairy-free, lactose-free recipe that uses oat milk and olive oil, providing a subtle flavour perfect for anyone avoiding butter. This easy, healthy dessert or breakfast cake is made with spelt flour and pairs wonderfully with fresh fruit and ice cream for a delicious treat.

Once baked, the flavour of the olive oil is quite subtle and not overpowering. This recipe is ideal for those looking for a lactose-free and dairy-free option. If you prefer a lemon cake made with spelt flour, this recipe, like many from Sue Maree P, can be easily adapted.

Olive oil cake is delightful when served with fruit and ice cream for dessert, or it can also be enjoyed as a breakfast cake alongside a cup of coffee.

Ingredients

• Lemons – 1 to 2
• Large eggs – 3
• Plain flour or Spelt Flour – 225g (2 1/4 cups)
• Baking powder – 3 tsp
• Bicarbonate of soda – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Oat milk or whole milk – 125ml (1/2 cup)
• Caster sugar (this is not very sweet add 1/4 cup for a sweeter cake) – 150g (3/4 cup)
• Lemon Zest – 3 tsp
• Lemon Juice – 4 tbsp (1/4 cup)
• Olive Oil (extra virgin good quality) – 120ml

Method

1. PREHEAT oven 170˚C fan
2. PREPARE a small loaf tin (1 lb) and grease the base and sides with butter and line with baking paper
3. ADD lemon juice to milk in a jug or small bowl and rest for 10-15 mins
4. MIX eggs, olive oil, zest in a jug or small bowl
5. WHISK all dry ingredients in a large bowl; sifted flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt
6. COMBINE both wet and dry ingredients in the large bowl with a large wooden spoon or use your electric beater or your stand mixer on low and gently mix until all the flour mix is incorporated
7. POUR mix into your prepared tin. This yields a large small loaf so the baking tin will be full, but don't be worried this will not overflow.
8. BAKE for 50-60 minutes
9. ONCE baked and golden brown. Rest for at least 30 minutes
10. DUST with icing sugar to serve. A perfect addition to afternoon tea. When fresh the outside edge is crunchy and the middle is soft.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

• Eggs – make sure you bake with large eggs that are at room temperature.
• Olive Oil – use a good quality Italian extra virgin olive oil
• Lemons – use unwaxed lemons if available and always wash before use
• Baking – always preheat your oven and bake on the middle shelf. If you have an oven thermometer check your ovens temperature prior to baking your cake
• Flour – if you would prefer to use self-raising flour leave our the baking powder
• Vegan – I haven't made this recipe vegan before however, it may work using yoghurt instead of eggs or even try flax eggs. Recipe = 1 tbsp ground flax seed: 3 tbsp water, rest for 10-15mins.
• Sugar – this cake is not too sweet, add 1/4 cup more sugar if you like a sweeter cake.