Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Olive oil cake has deep roots in Italian home cooking, where olive oil has long been the primary baking fat instead of butter. In rural kitchens, simple torte all’olio were made with pantry staples and often scented with lemon, orange, or a splash of wine. These everyday cakes were practical, dairy-free, and tied to religious traditions that limited animal fats, but they endured because they were moist, fragrant, and satisfying. What began as a humble Italian household dessert is now appreciated as a timeless expression of simplicity and flavor. You can absolutely use plain olive oil, just increase the lemon zest to 2 tbsp.

You will need:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup lemon olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp

juice, 1 tbsp zest)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Butter to grease the cake pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Mix together the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed until blended and light.

Drizzle in the oil and vanilla and mix until light and smooth. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another medium bowl.

Add the flour mixture half at a time to the wet ingredients and mix on low just to incorporate. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake, 18-20 minutes. Let the cake cool 15 minutes, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Optional but recommended:  Lemon syrup

Heat 2-3 tbsp lemon juice with 2 tbsp sugar until resolved. until dissolved.

Brush over the warm cake. Moistens without making it soggy. After it cools, dust the confectioners sugar on top of the cake.