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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Baking Recipes

    Published: Jan 25, 2023 · Modified: Nov 13, 2023 by DJ · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Easy Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    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.

    A chunky slice of lemon cake on a shiny, white plate. It's golden and moist. this recipe

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love These Cakes
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Substitutions & Variations
    • How To Make Lemon Olive Oil Cake
    • Expert Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Vegan Lemon Recipes
    • Easy Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze

    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

    The ingredients needed to make my vegan lemon olive oil cake laid out over a white, marble background.
    • 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.

    Two greased loaf cake tins.

    1: Grease two loaf cake tins.

    Vegan buttermilk curdling in a pyrex jug.

    2: Make the vegan buttermilk. Let it curdle.

    The dry cake ingredients combined inside a large mixing bowl.

    3: Combine the dry cake ingredients inside a mixing bowl.

    A smooth cake batter has formed now that the wet ingredients have been added.

    4: Add in the wet lemon cake ingredients. Fold until smooth.

    The vegan lemon olive oil cake batter, poured into the prepare tins.

    5: Pour the cake batter into the prepared tins. Bake inside the oven.

    A whole, undecorated loaf of lemon cake.

    6: Let the two lemon cake loaves cool.

    The lemon glaze, ready to be spooned onto the two cakes.

    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?

    A whole lemon cake topped with melty glaze which is dripping down the sides. It is sat on a slate chopping board.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can cakes be made with olive oil?

    Yes they can! It creates an amazing, moist consistency is full of richness.

    What is an olive oil cake?

    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.

    What type if olive oil should I use?

    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.

    How can I store lemon olive oil cake?

    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

    • A close up shot of one of my vegan lemon cookies on a white plate. It has melted chocolate on top.
      Easy Vegan Lemon Cookies with Chocolate Chips
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    • A bunch of glazed vegan lemon poppy seed muffins on a white surface. Extra glaze being dripped on top.
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    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!

    A large slice of vegan lemon olive oil cake on a white plate. It is moist and soft.

    Easy Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze

    This vegan lemon olive oil cake is one of my favorites. It's so moist and the lemon glaze on top doesn't overwhelm it. You need to try it!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Lemon Olive Oil Cake
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 Slices
    Calories: 205kcal
    Author: DJ

    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
    US Customary - Metric

    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. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @vegan_treats_blogger or tag #vegantreatsblogger!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Deandre Knapp says

      October 17, 2024 at 6:29 am

      I must say that it is a superb post..Really we are impressed out of this post….the one who create this post it had been an amazing human. I put one of the links to your blog inside my site, we do hope you don’t mind?

      Reply
    2. Deirdre says

      February 25, 2023 at 7:36 pm

      5 stars
      This cake is moist and tasty

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




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    Hi, I'm DJ. Welcome to Vegan Treats Blogger!

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