I have made multiple lemon loaf cakes over the years, but never have I ever made one with olive oil as one of the main ingredients. Have you ever tried a vegan lemon olive oil cake? I was pleasantly surprised by how soft these loaves turned out to be and you should definitely give them a try.
They take less than 30 minutes to make and they're covered with a luscious and thick glaze which compliments the cakes hugely.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest kinds of oils out there so it makes a welcome substitute to the usual vegetable and canola oils that are often used in cakes. It also gives the cakes a very unique flavor which I love.
I think you'll love this recipe! For more delectable lemon recipes, you should also see my vegan lemon drizzle cake, vegan lemon poke cake and vegan blueberry lemon cake recipes which all have different vibes but are equally mouth-watering.
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Why You Will Love These Cakes
- Strong Flavors - Lemons and olive oil are both well known for having very strong flavors. When combined they create an indescribable, unique flavor combination which will amaze your tastebuds.
- Thick Glaze - If you've tried the glaze toppings on my vegan lemon raspberry cake and vegan blackberry lemon cake recipes you'll know exactly what I mean. These glaze on those cakes, as well as many others that I've made contain are very similar to what you'd find on treats such as, cinnamon rolls and birthday cakes. As the cake flavors are powerful, I needed to counterbalance them with something a little more neutral.
- Healthier - Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats which is great for lowering bad cholesterol and it also possesses numerous other health benefits which promote longevity. It is also high in antioxidants and has so many anti-inflammatory properties.
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This vegan lemon olive oil cake recipe is fully vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Apple cider vinegar - This underrated vinegar needs to be stirred into the soy milk in order to make a vegan 'buttermilk' mixture. This will react with the leavening agents and other dry cake ingredients to create a beautiful, fluffy and airy texture.
- Extra virgin olive oil - This is the main ingredient for this recipe. Gives the lemon loaf cakes their moisture. Although, I hadn't previously used it for any of my cake recipes, this oil has grown on me. I also think it will work brilliantly alongside other citrus fruits like oranges and limes.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice - Do not use artificial lemon juice for this recipe. This will ruin the flavor of the cakes. Any lemon juice that comes from a plastic bottle probably isn't freshly-squeezed so I'd stay clear at all costs if you want a tasty outcome.
- Zest of 2 medium-sized lemons - The zest will infuse the cakes with extra-concentrated lemon flavors which are even stronger than the lemon juice. Just like a pinch of salt can make a big difference to certain dishes, so can a small amount of lemon zest. It's a key ingredient for my vegan lemon curd which is used in the vegan carrot cake recipe.
- Powdered sugar - This is the main ingredient for the glaze topping. Make sure that the powdered sugar which you choose to use is vegan. Some brands add bone char to their sugar to give it a whiter color.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you want to add something extra to the cakes why not try some berries. More specifically, I love to add fresh blueberries to baked lemon treats as they go so well together. Lemon and blueberries are the ultimate complimentary flavors as you will also see in my vegan lemon blueberry muffins. If you haven't already, be sure to give them a try!
- To make this lemon olive oil cake even healthier, consider using cold pressed organic extra virgin olive oil and organic unwaxed lemons for this recipe. These are the purest forms of the two ingredients and they will significantly enhance the nutritional value of the recipe.
How To Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1: Grease two loaf cake tins.
2: Make the vegan buttermilk. Let it curdle.
3: Combine the dry cake ingredients inside a mixing bowl.
4: Add in the wet lemon cake ingredients. Fold until smooth.
5: Pour the cake batter into the prepared tins. Bake inside the oven.
6: Let the two lemon cake loaves cool.
7: Make the glaze. Spoon it onto the cooled cakes.
Expert Tips
Don't open the oven door while baking - Opening the oven door while the cake is baking inside will ruin the structure of the cake, causing it to bake unevenly. As a result, you may also have a large dent in the center of the cakes.
Don't over-mix the cake batter - If you over-mix your lemon cake batter, the final texture of the cakes will be super dense and the exact opposite to light and fluffy. We always want light and fluffy cakes, don't we?
Recipe FAQs
Yes they can! It creates an amazing, moist consistency is full of richness.
An olive oil cake can be literally any cake that contains - olive oil of course. It some countries it is used as an alternative to butter which makes it a great vegan baking ingredient. This wonderful oil makes a vegan lemon olive oil cake very moist. A little less sweet and a little more savory which I personally like a lot.
Olive oil is a fantastic, versatile type of oil that comes in many varieties. For this recipe I recommend that you use extra virgin olive oil which retains the olive flavor. It is also less processed than ordinary olive oil and therefore, better for health.
Store this lemon cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure you store the cake inside an airtight container.
More Vegan Lemon Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Easy Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- 200 ml soy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 200 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Zest of 2 medium-sized lemons
For the lemon glaze:
- 160 g powdered sugar
- 1.5 Tablespoons soy milk
- 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 177 Celsius (350F).
- Grease two 20cm x 10cm loaf tins with vegan butter. Set aside.
Make the cake:
- Begin by making the vegan buttermilk mixture. Mix the apple cider vinegar into the soy milk and let it curdle for 8 minutes. Measure out the other cake ingredients while you wait.
- To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
- Pour the vegan buttermilk into the dry ingredients, along with the extra virgin olive oil, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. Fold the batter until the flour is fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared baking tins equally. Bake in center of the oven for 20 minutes. A skewer will come out of them clean when they’re ready.
- Allow the lemon cakes to cool for 15 minutes then transfer them over to a cooling rack.
Make the lemon glaze:
- Add the powdered sugar to a bowl. Mix in the soy milk and lemon juice. A thick workable glaze should form. Spoon the glaze over the two cakes and serve.
Video
Notes
- Opening the oven door while the cake is baking inside will ruin the structure of the cake, causing it to bake unevenly. As a result, you may also have a large dent in the center of the cakes.
- If you over-mix your lemon cake batter, the final texture of the cakes will be super dense and the exact opposite to light and fluffy.
Deirdre says
This cake is moist and tasty