Moist lemon olive oil cake (easy recipe)

In Italy this lemon-scented cake is known as Ciambella or ciambellone, and because of the olive oil it has a fresh, fruity flavor, tender texture and stays moist for days!

Another version of a cake made with olive oil is this Greek vegan olive oil cake (fanouropita), flavored with cinnamon, orange zest and cloves.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour or pastry flour (sifted).
• Baking powder.
• White granulated sugar.
• Salt.
• Lemon zest.
• Eggs.
• Extra virgin olive oil with mild flavor.
• Yogurt (or milk or orange juice).
• Shredded coconut (optional).
• Shredded carrots (optional).

Step 3: Continue beating and gradually add the olive oil in a thin stream. The egg mixture will start to look like mayonnaise.

Step 4: Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture alternating it with the yogurt (or coconut milk) and mix until smooth.

Step 5: Add the shredded coconut and the shredded carrot (if using) and gently mix for a few seconds until everything is combined. Don't over-mix your butter because the texture of the cake will be stiff.

Step 6: Pour the cake batter in the cake pan and bake.

Substitutions

Olive oil: For this recipe you can use another neutral tasting vegetable oil. But then it wouldn't be an olive oil cake, would it?

Lemon zest: Just as in these lemon possets, you can replace the lemon zest with orange zest, lime zest or tangerine zest. All these citrus flavors pair beautifully with the fruitiness of the olive oil.

I don't suggest replacing the zest with vanilla extract because the flavor of the oil will not let the vanilla to shine.

Yogurt: You can replace the yogurt with the same amount of coconut milk, milk, or orange juice. If you want to use Greek strained yogurt you should thin it with water or milk, because it has less moisture than regular yogurt.

Check this article for the best Greek yogurt substitutes and how to use them!

White sugar: Caster sugar, granulated sugar and light brown sugar can be used. Light brown sugar will give a subtle caramel flavor to the cake. I don't suggest dark brown sugar because the taste is too strong.

Serving Suggestion

Most of the times I serve this lemon olive oil cake plain, with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

For more special occasions you can serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries on the side. Instead of the whipped cream, an easier (and healthier option) is to mix a cup of Greek strained yogurt with 1-2 tablespoons of honey.

Variations

Lemon - coconut flavor

Add half a cup of shredded coconut to the batter to give this cake an exotic touch. In this case, you can also use coconut milk instead of the yogurt

Orange – shredded carrot flavor

Another variation my mom often makes is the orange-carrot flavor. In this case, the lemon zest is replaced by orange zest, the yogurt is replaced with orange juice and half a cup of shredded carrots is mixed in the cake batter at the end. The grated carrot makes the cake even more moist and tender.

Orange – coconut – carrot

For the third variation of this cake, you'll add both the shredded coconut and the carrot to the batter. You can leave the rest of the ingredients as is, or you can replace the yogurt with coconut milk or orange juice and the lemon zest with orange zest. Whatever you decide, the end result will be delicious.

Baking pan

Instead of making this cake into 9" spring-form pan you can also make it into a 10-cup a bundt pan. Make sure to grease and flour the bottom and the sides of the pan and also line the bottom with parchment paper. For easier un-molding, first run a thin knife around the edges of the pan.

Storage

Once cooled, this olive oil cake should be wrapped with plastic wrap or transferred into an airtight container and stored at room temperature.

It will last for at least 4-5 days. If you want to keep it longer you should store it in the refrigerator.

Baking recipes with olive oil

If you're wondering if you can bake with olive oil, then the answer is: yes, totally! Throughout the Mediterranean, there are countless recipes using olive oil for baking. Check out some of our most popular recipes: