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Best Lemon Olive Oil Cake With A Sugar Crust

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Best Lemon Olive Oil Cake With A Sugar Crust

Moist lemon olive oil cake that is mixed in one bowl recipe, topped with a crusty sugar topping and served on a bed of softly whipped cream and lemon curd. It is fresh, fluffy, zesty and easy  dessert to make.

I had a clear vision for this dessert. I wanted to make a moist lemon olive oil cake that was tender, fluffy and soft but had a firm sugar crust on the top. I knew I wanted to serve it with whipped cream and lemon curd but I didn’t know how to serve it without ruining the sugar crust on top. And it hit me like a brain wave to sit the cake on a bed of cream and curd. To be honest, when I thought about this cake I wanted to make a simple snacking cake that was perfect on its own without any fuss, using up the one lonely lemon in my fruit basket. But it unfolded into this recipe which was such a huge win. 

What is lemon cake?

Lemon cake is mainly a fluffy vanilla cake flavored with lemon, this could be through fresh lemon zest and juice or it could also be with lemon extract or lemon essence. The cake is tender, soft and has a gleaming yellow color. The cake batter is usually made with butter, eggs, sugar, lemons, milk, flour, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla extract. Some lemon cakes have a drizzle on the top, while others are served with a lemon glaze as well. 

Why you’ll love this lemon olive oil cake?

The lemon cake batter comes together with a bowl and whisk, it is a fuss free recipe that comes together very simply and is baked in 9/10 inch round tin so it bakes up fairly quickly too. The sugar crust adds a delicious crunch on the top of the fluffy and tender cake. The ingredients needed to make this cake are pantry staples that you most probably have in your kitchen at the moment. 

Ingredients you’ll need:

To make cake we need 1 whole lemon (zest & juice), castor sugar, olive oil, eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract and almond extract, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. I have served the cake with lightly whipped cream, homemade lemon curd and sea salt flakes on top. 

What olive oil is best for the cake?

For a lemon olive oil cake, the best choice is a mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) — not a super peppery or bitter one. Lemon pairs beautifully with olive oil, but you want the citrus flavor to shine instead of tasting grassy or harsh. Some of the brands I’ve used to make this cake: Filippo Berio Mild Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Variations and substitutions:

Gluten free –

To make this cake gluten free, use a gluten free flour mix – cup for cup measure. It works perfectly in this recipe. 

Eggless –

To keep this cake eggless, swap the eggs for 2 flaxseed eggs. 1 flaxseed egg is 1 tbsp flaxseed powder mixed with 2 tbsp water, stir and set aside to form a gel like consistency. Use it as you would the egg as the recipe asks. 

Lactose free –

Swap the yogurt for any lactose free yogurt you enjoy eating. 

What equipment is needed to make this easy lemon olive oil cake with crust?

The cake batter is mixed in a large bowl with a whisk and rubber spatula. I also use a microplane grater for the lemon zest. The cake is baked in a 10 inch round tin lined with baking paper. Keep in mind you can bake the cake in a smaller tin but this will change the overall baking time. I have baked this cake in a 1/2 liter bundt pan and it works perfectly.  

How to make lemon olive oil cake?

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and line a 10 inch round tin by brushing it with olive oil and placing a piece of baking paper at the bottom of the tin. In a large mixing bowl add the castor sugar and grate the lemon zest into it. Rub together with your fingers until you can smell the lemon aroma. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, almond extract and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the yogurt and whisk well. Add the eggs and whisk together. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the lined tin and sprinkle over the granulated sugar on top. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serving this easy lemon olive oil cake with crust?

I had so much serving this cake warm with lightly whipped sweetened whipped cream, homemade lemon curd and sea salt flakes. The cake is fluffy and soft so it soaks in the cream and the lemon curd cuts through everything while the sea salt balances the sweetness. You could serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar and leave out the other options. You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbet. 

How to store lemon olive oil cake?

The leftover cake can be stored in air tight containers at room temperature, not in direct sunlight for 2-3 days. In the fridge for 1 week but it will loose the crust in the fridge. When ready to eat the cake let it come to room temperature but it is just as good fridge cold as well.

Looking for more lemon dessert recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this lemon olive oil cake with a crunchy sugar crust recipe, you can have a look at the video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration. 

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.

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Best Lemon Olive Oil Cake With A Sugar Crust

Moist lemon olive oil cake that is mixed in one bowl recipe, topped with a crusty sugar topping and served on a bed of softly whipped cream and lemon curd. It is fresh, fluffy, zesty and easy dessert to make.
Course Brunch, Cake, Dessert, High Tea, Sweet tooth, tea time
Cuisine American
Keyword Baking, Dessert, Easy baking, Easy recipes, extra virgin olive oil, Homemade, homemade lemon cake, Lemon, Lemon cake, lemon curd, Lemon juice, lemon olive oil cake, lemon zest, lemons, Olive oil, olive oil cake, Quick and easy, quick and easy baking, Summer, summer desserts, summer recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 inch round cake

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Spatula
  • Grater
  • 10 inch round tin
  • Baking paper

Ingredients

For the cake -

  • 1 lemon zest and juice
  • 3/4 cup sugar castor
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup yogurt
  • 1 and 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar for the top

Serve with -

  • Softly whipped cream and lemon curd check notes

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and line a 10 inch round tin by brushing it with olive oil and placing a piece of baking paper at the bottom of the tin.
  • In a large mixing bowl add the castor sugar, lemon zest and rub together until you can smell the lemon aroma.
  • Add the lemon juice, olive oil, almond extract and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the yogurt and whisk well. Add the eggs and whisk together.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the lined tin and sprinkle over the granulated sugar on top. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Serve it with lightly whipped cream and lemon curd.

Notes

  • Homemade lemon curd recipe is linked here.
  • You can serve this cake with fresh raspberries or blueberries, it is delicious with fresh berries.
  • To make this gluten free use a gluten free cup for cup measure gluten free flour mix.

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