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Introducing my new favorite simple snacking cake: lemon olive oil cake! Made with fresh lemons, whole milk ricotta, and lemon-infused olive oil, this cake is light, soft, and fluffy – each bite reminds me of a lemon cloud. Top with a drizzle of lemon glaze and fresh lemon zest! Recipe yields one 9-inch cake.
This olive oil lemon cake is a zesty, lemony dream and so easy to make. Each slice is almost fall-apart tender thanks to the moisture from lemon olive oil and creamy ricotta cheese.
Whisked together by hand (no mixer required!), you can make the batter in just 10 minutes. Here’s to the simplest lemon cake!
For the most pronounced lemon flavor, use a lemon-infused olive oil. In my recipe tests, I used a Meyer lemon olive oil and a lemon extra virgin olive oil. If you can’t find lemon oil easily, a light and fruity extra virgin olive oil also works well here.
I don’t recommend baking with a grassy or peppery olive oil – the robust flavor will overpower the fresh lemon zest and juice.
Love baking with lemons? Don’t miss my full collection of lemon dessert recipes!
How to Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl until combined.
Combine granulated sugar and fresh lemon zest in a large bowl. Whisk together for 1 minute until fragrant (this step releases the natural oils from the zest).
Add olive oil, ricotta cheese, eggs, and fresh lemon juice to the bowl with the lemon-sugar. Whisk well for 1 minute until smooth and combined.
Add flour mixture to the bowl and gently fold in with a spatula just until incorporated. The batter will be textured and somewhat lumpy – that’s totally ok.
Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan sharply several times to reduce air bubbles.
Bake cake until golden and a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached, about 44 to 45 minutes. If your oven tends to run hot, keep an eye on the timer and pull the cake a few minutes early to check for doneness.
Cool for 30 minutes in the springform pan, then remove the sides from the pan and let the cake cool completely before adding the lemon glaze.
I also love serving wedges of this cake with a dusting of powdered sugar or with homemade vanilla whipped cream and fresh berries!
More delicious lemon cake recipes:
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Moist Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Ricotta
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 9-inch cake
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft and moist lemon olive oil cake made with fresh lemons, whole milk ricotta, and lemon olive oil. Whisked together by hand, no mixer required!
Ingredients
Olive Oil Cake
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp (9 g) fresh lemon zest
- 3/4 cup (168 g) lemon olive oil
- 1 cup (240 g) whole milk ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) fresh lemon juice
Topping
- Lemon glaze
- Fresh lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.
- Make cake: Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk well for 1 minute until fragrant. Add lemon olive oil, ricotta cheese, eggs, and fresh lemon juice to the bowl with the lemon-sugar. Whisk well for 1 minute until smooth. Fold in flour mixture just until incorporated and no streaks remain.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula and tap sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake cake for 44 to 45 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch, edges pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes before removing sides from pan; let cool completely.
- Drizzle cake with lemon glaze and top with fresh lemon zest.
- Store leftover cake tightly wrapped at room temperature.
Notes
Freezing instructions: Let cake cool completely and then wrap well in a layer of plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. For the best texture and flavor, freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator (still wrapped to prevent condensation from forming on the surface of the cake) and bring to room temperature.
Photography by Saltwater Studio
