Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake
This vegan lemon olive oil cake is impossibly moist with bright citrus flavor. Simple pantry ingredients create bakery-worthy results every single time!
I stumbled onto this lemon olive oil vegan cake during a particularly gloomy February when I desperately needed something bright on my counter. Turns out, olive oil creates this unbelievably tender texture that butter just can’t match, and the lemon zest? Pure magic.
Now it’s my go-to whenever I need to impress someone (or just treat myself on a Tuesday). If you’re into citrusy bakes, you’ll absolutely love this chocolate orange cake recipe—it’s got that same sunny vibe.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Honestly, this lemon olive oil cake vegan version might just ruin all other cakes for you. Here’s why:
- Ridiculously moist – Olive oil keeps this cake tender for days (if it lasts that long)
- Bright, zingy lemon flavor – Fresh juice and zest make every bite burst with citrus
- Pantry-friendly – No hunting for weird ingredients or egg replacers
- Foolproof texture – I’ve never had this cake fail, even when I’m distracted and chatting
- Versatile – Dress it up with icing or keep it simple for breakfast (no judgment here)
I actually learned the olive oil trick from a baking class years ago, and King Arthur Baking confirms that olive oil creates exceptional moisture retention in cakes—it’s science! The first time I made this, I accidentally used extra virgin olive oil (the really green, peppery kind) and worried I’d ruined it. Nope. It added this gorgeous depth that had everyone asking for the recipe.
Table of Contents
Nutritional Information Per Serving
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 285 |
| Protein | 3g |
| Carbohydrates | 45g |
| Fat | 11g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 28g |
Based on 12 servings
Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake Ingredients
Making a vegan lemon olive oil cake recipe is honestly as easy as mixing wet and dry bowls—that’s it! Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cake
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2 ½ cups (315g) | All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled |
| 1 ¼ cups (250g) | Granulated sugar |
| 3 teaspoons | Baking powder |
| Pinch | Salt (optional but recommended) |
| 1 cup (250g) | Dairy-free milk, room temperature |
| ½ cup (125g) | Extra virgin olive oil |
| ⅓ cup (80g) | Fresh lemon juice |
| 2 tablespoons | Lemon zest (from about 2-3 lemons) |
| 1 teaspoon | Vanilla extract (optional) |
Ingredient Notes:
- Olive oil: Use a good quality extra virgin—you’ll taste it! I love the subtle peppery notes it adds.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is non-negotiable here. Bottled stuff just doesn’t have that bright zing.
- Dairy-free milk: I use oat or almond milk. Whatever’s in your fridge works beautifully.
For the Lemon Icing (Optional)
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 ½ cups (150g) | Powdered sugar |
| 2-3 tablespoons | Fresh lemon juice |
| 1 cup (150g) | Fresh berries for topping |
Need a great loaf pan? I swear by the ones I talk about in these chocolate chip muffins—same perfect size!
Equipment You’ll Need
Essential:
- 8-inch (20 cm) loaf pan
- Parchment paper (trust me, makes cleanup a breeze)
- Two mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
- Whisk or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Zester or fine grater
Nice to Have:
- Cooling rack
- Toothpick for testing doneness
- Sifter for the icing (totally optional)
How to Make Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Step-by-Step)
Making this vegan lemon olive oil cake is one of those rare baking moments where everything just works. No fussy techniques, no tempering, just simple mixing and gorgeous results.
Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line your 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper—I like to leave overhang on the sides so I can lift the cake out easily later. (Game changer for perfect slices!)
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients In your large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there aren’t any lumps hiding in there. This takes maybe 30 seconds but prevents sad pockets of baking powder later.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients In your medium bowl, whisk together the dairy-free milk, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla if using. It might look a bit separated—that’s totally normal and nothing to worry about.
Step 4: Bring It All Together Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix here! A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough (learned that one the hard way). The batter should be thick but pourable.
Step 5: Bake to Golden Perfection Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Pop it in the oven for about 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. (If your toothpick is covered in wet batter, give it another 5-10 minutes.)
Pro tip: If the top starts browning too quickly around the 40-minute mark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
Step 6: Cool Before Icing Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes (I know it’s tempting to dig in!), then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before icing—warm cake makes the icing slide right off.
Step 7: Make That Dreamy Lemon Icing While the cake cools, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl. Add more juice for a thinner, drizzly glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker icing. I like mine somewhere in between—thick enough to cling but drippy enough to look gorgeous.
Drizzle the icing over your cooled Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake and top with fresh berries right before serving. (Raspberries and blueberries are my favorite, but use whatever looks good at the market!)
Pro Tips for the Best Results
Your lemon olive oil cake vegan creation deserves to be absolutely perfect, so here are the lessons I’ve learned through many happy batches:
Room Temperature Matters: Make sure your dairy-free milk is at room temperature. Cold milk can cause the batter to seize up a bit with the oil. I just microwave mine for 15 seconds—easy fix.
Don’t Skip the Zest: Lemon zest is where all the aromatic oils live. It gives way more flavor than juice alone. I use a microplane grater and it takes maybe 2 minutes.
Olive Oil Quality: Since olive oil is a star ingredient here, use one you’d actually want to drizzle on bread. The flavor shines through! According to the folks at Serious Eats, fruity, high-quality olive oil adds complexity that refined oils just can’t match.
The Toothpick Test: This is a moist cake by nature, so don’t wait for a completely clean toothpick. A few crumbs are perfect—you want moist, not dry!
Measure Flour Correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs it down and you’ll end up with too much flour and a dense cake.
Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake Troubleshooting Guide
My batter seems really thick—is that normal? Yep! This batter is thicker than your average cake batter. It’s supposed to be that way. If it seems impossibly thick and won’t pour, add a splash more dairy-free milk (a tablespoon at a time).
The top is browning but the center isn’t done. This happens sometimes with deeper loaf pans. Just tent the top with foil and keep baking. Check every 5 minutes with your trusty toothpick.
My Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake sank in the middle. Either your oven temperature is off (get an oven thermometer—they’re like $8 and life-changing) or you opened the oven door too early. Try to resist peeking before the 50-minute mark!
The icing is too runny. Add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it thickens up. Or pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up a bit.
Can I taste the olive oil? You’ll get a subtle richness but not an overpowering olive flavor. It’s more about texture than taste. If you’re worried, use a lighter, more neutral olive oil.
Delicious Variations & Twists
This lemon olive oil vegan cake is wonderfully adaptable! Here are some of my favorite ways to switch things up:
Meyer Lemon Version: If you can find Meyer lemons, use them! They’re sweeter and more floral—absolutely dreamy.
Lemon Poppy Seed: Stir 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds into the batter for that classic bakery look and a subtle nutty crunch.
Orange or Blood Orange: Swap the lemon juice and zest for orange. I especially love this in winter with blood oranges!
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I’ve had great success with Bob’s Red Mill.
Herb-Infused: Add a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme to the batter. Sounds weird, tastes incredible. Lemon and herbs are best friends.
Chocolate Drizzle: Skip the lemon icing and drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top instead. Trust me on this one—check out this chocolate peanut butter cake for inspo on chocolate drizzling techniques!
Plating Ideas: Serve slices with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream, or just dust with powdered sugar for an elegant look.
Serving, Storage & Reheating
Serving: This vegan lemon olive oil cake is perfect at room temperature or slightly chilled. I love serving it for afternoon tea, as a light dessert after dinner, or honestly for breakfast with my coffee (don’t judge me).
Storage: Keep your lemon olive oil cake vegan masterpiece in an airtight container. It’ll stay moist at room temperature for a day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. The olive oil really works magic here—it stays tender even cold.
Freezing: You can absolutely freeze this Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake! Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours.
Reheating: If you’ve refrigerated it, let slices come to room temperature for the best texture. Or warm a slice in the microwave for about 15 seconds—it’s like fresh-baked all over again.
No-Waste Kitchen Magic
Got leftover lemon halves after juicing? Here’s how to use every last bit:
Freeze the Zest: If you have extra zested lemon peel, chop it finely and freeze in ice cube trays with a bit of water. Pop out cubes for recipes later!
Make Lemon Water: Squeeze those juiced lemon halves into water pitchers throughout the week.
Candied Lemon Peel: Simmer leftover peel in simple syrup, dry it out, and use it to decorate future cakes.
Dry Stale Cake: If your cake gets a bit stale, cube it and toast the pieces in the oven. Use them as a base for a lemon trifle with dairy-free custard and berries—so good!
Crumb Topping: Pulse dry cake in a food processor and sprinkle over yogurt parfaits or ice cream.
Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake FAQs
Can I freeze this vegan lemon olive oil cake?
Absolutely! Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours. Add the icing fresh after thawing for best results.
What’s the best dairy-free milk to use in a lemon olive oil vegan cake?
I typically use unsweetened almond milk or oat milk, but any dairy-free milk works! Soy, cashew, or coconut milk all give great results. Just make sure it’s at room temperature before mixing.
Can I make this into cupcakes or a layer cake?
Yes! For cupcakes, bake at the same temperature for about 18-22 minutes. For two 8-inch round cake layers, bake for 30-35 minutes. Just keep an eye on them and do the toothpick test.
Why use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Olive oil adds a subtle richness and complexity that neutral oils don’t provide. It also keeps the cake incredibly moist for days. Plus, it’s got some actual nutritional benefits compared to highly refined oils!
My cake is dense instead of fluffy—what happened?
This could be from overmixing the batter (which develops too much gluten) or using too much flour. Make sure you’re spooning and leveling your flour measurements rather than scooping directly from the bag.
Let’s Celebrate This Sunshine!
And there you have it—your new favorite vegan lemon olive oil cake that’s about to become your signature recipe! This cake is the kind of baking project that makes you feel like a total rockstar in the kitchen, even though it’s secretly one of the easiest cakes you’ll ever make. That’s our little secret.
I’d absolutely love to see how your cake turns out! Drop a comment below with your experience, snap a photo for Instagram (tag me so I can see!), or let me know what variations you tried. Did you go full lemon glaze or add those gorgeous berries on top? Maybe you tried the rosemary twist?
And if you’re on a citrus kick after making this beauty, definitely check out these other crowd-pleasers from the Dessert Haven kitchen. They’re just as foolproof and delicious!
Happy baking, friends! May your kitchen smell like sunshine and your cake slices be perfectly moist.
The Most Heavenly Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Moist, Bright & Ridiculously Easy!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line your 8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper—leave overhang on the sides so you can lift the cake out easily later.
- In your large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there aren’t any lumps hiding in there. This takes maybe 30 seconds but prevents sad pockets of baking powder later.
- In your medium bowl, whisk together the dairy-free milk, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla if using. It might look a bit separated—that’s totally normal and nothing to worry about.
- Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix here! A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Pop it in the oven for about 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. If the top starts browning too quickly around the 40-minute mark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before icing—warm cake makes the icing slide right off.
- While the cake cools, whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in a bowl. Add more juice for a thinner, drizzly glaze or more powdered sugar for a thicker icing.
- Drizzle the icing over your cooled cake and top with fresh berries right before serving.
