Vegan Olive Oil Cake with Lemon

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.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

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.

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.

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

Vegan olive oil cake filled with lemon zest for deliciously subtle flavors and an ultra moist delicate crumb; a decadent and beautiful dessert.

4.93 from 69 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 people

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Olive Oil Cake

• ¾ cup Bari's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 cup non-dairy milk, I use soy
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
• 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Toppings

• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• ¼ cup fresh blackberries
• a few sprigs of fresh mint

US Customary - Metric

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

Serving and Storing - Once your cake is cool, dust a layer of powdered sugar over the top and decorate it with lemon, berries, and fresh mint. 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.

Recipe Tips

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 10.4mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1.3mg