Moist Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake With Lemon Frosting

This Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake with Lemon Frosting is the best not too sweet lemon cake! I use extra virgin olive oil for a simple one bowl cake recipe that you will love!

If you love lemon cake as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite lemon desserts like Vegan Lemon Chamomile Tea Cake Raspberry Lemon Snack Cake, Sourdough Lavender Lemon Bundt Cake, or Best Meyer Lemon Pound Cake.

lemon olive oil snack cake on a marble counter with fresh flowers and cake plates.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake With Lemon Frosting
Ready In: 2 hours 15 minutes
Makes: 9-inch cake
Main Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, cane sugar, powdered sugar, candied lemons
Flavor Profile: not-too-sweet lemon cake made with extra virgin olive oil
Dietary Info: gluten free swap available
Difficulty: Easy!
Why You’ll Love It: fluffy bakery style lemon cake with candied lemons

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

EVOO: I use extra virgin olive oil in this lemon cake. I love this savory oil with the sweet lemons. Oil based cakes are also incredibly easy to mix up in just one bowl.
One Layer: This easy lemon cake is just one layer. This makes it simple and easy! If you are a beginner cake baker, then this lemon cake is a great recipe to start.
Moist Lemon Cake: This moist lemon cake stays incredibly soft and fluffy, thanks to the addition of olive oil. Oil based cakes can be more moist than cakes made with butter! So, if you want a moist lemon cake, this recipe is it!
Organic Cake: I use organic ingredients in this lemon cake, making it better than any store bought cake!

Jump to:

A Quick Look At The Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Baking With Olive Oil
Ingredients
Baker’s Tips for Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake with Lemon Frosting
How to Make Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake With Lemon Frosting
Recipe FAQ’s
More Lemon Recipes
Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake
The Bake Shop

Baking With Olive Oil

Baking with olive oil gives this lemon snack cake its tender, plush crumb and keeps it moist for days—oil stays liquid at room temp, so the cake doesn’t dry out. Choose a mild, fruity extra-virgin olive oil so it lifts the citrus instead of competing with it; robust, peppery oils can read bitter in sweets.

Whisking the oil with sugar and eggs helps trap a little air for a lighter texture, while coconut milk adds silky richness without dairy. Because there’s no butter to cream, the batter comes together fast in one bowl—just weigh your flour and don’t overmix once it’s in. The result is a bright, lemon-forward cake with a clean finish and a tender slice that stays enjoyable on day two (and three)!

If you want to start baking more with olive oil, check out some of my other favorite baked olive oil recipes like Olive Oil Strawberry Blondies, Olive Oil Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies, Crispy Chocolate Olive Oil Granola, Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies, Chocolate Olive Oil Caramel, or Maple Cinnamon Olive Oil Granola.

Ingredients

EVOO: I use organic extra virgin olive oil which makes this not too sweet lemon cake strike the perfect balance.
Coconut Milk: I use organic coconut milk for flavor, as I love lemon and coconut together. You can also use cow's milk if you prefer.
Lemon: I use the juice and zest of fresh lemons inside this organic cake.
Cake Flour: I use Homemade Organic Cake Flour, but pastry flour will also work.
Baking Powder: Be sure to use baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
Lemon Flavor: I use organic lemon flavor in the frosting. This is a concentrated sweet lemon flavor that makes the best lemon frosting. If you don't have this, you can also use fresh lemon juice but it will have a more tart lemon flavor.
Candied Lemons: I top this lemon cake with candied lemons for a bakery style finish. Learn How to Make Organic Candied Lemons with just 2 ingredients!

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips for Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake with Lemon Frosting

Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
This is a very simple cake recipe as it is oil based. You can do this in a bowl with a wooden spoon or whisk, with a hand mixer, or even in your stand mixer! It’s that easy.
You'll need a mixer for the frosting, stand or hand is fine, whatever you prefer.
If you don’t have extra virgin olive oil, you can avocado oil or canola oil instead.
If you prefer to use cow’s milk you can use that in place of coconut milk. Either will work! I just love the lemon flavor paired with coconut milk, but I’ve made this both ways and it is delicious either way!
If you don’t have cake flour, you can easily make your own with my simple recipe for Homemade Organic Cake Flour. This is what I used in this recipe!
Make this gluten free by replacing the cake flour with 390 grams (heaping 2 ½ cups) gluten free flour blend.
If you don’t have lemon flavor, you can substitute the coconut milk for fresh lemon juice in the frosting. This will yield a more tart lemon frosting as opposed to sweeter.
I top this with candied lemons, but you can also use naturally colored yellow sprinkles or fresh fruit as well. This would be delicious with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries too!
Make sure to store extra cake in an airtight container so it stays moist and fluffy. A cake dome is the best option for this, but you can also use a Tupperware if you cut up slices or plastic wrap in a pinch.

How to Make Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake With Lemon Frosting

wet ingredients for lemon olive oil snack cake in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. To make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the olive oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, cane sugar, and eggs.

wet ingredients for lemon olive oil snack cake in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk on a white marble counter.

Whisk to combine. (You can also do this with a stand mixer or hand mixer if you prefer).

ingredients for lemon olive oil snack cake in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Add the cake flour, baking powder, sea salt, and lemon zest in that order.

lemon olive oil cake batter in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Fold together with a spatula until combined into a smooth cake batter.

lemon olive oil snack cake batter in a cake pan sitting on top of a stove.

Transfer to the prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. (Be sure to check the high altitude conversion at the bottom of the recipe in the Notes section for high altitude baking time!)

ingredients for lemon frosting in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl with a hand mixer, or whisk), add the butter, powdered sugar, coconut milk, and lemon flavor.

lemon frosting in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Mix on low until combined and then speed mixer up to high and mix for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.

lemon olive oil snack cake with lemon frosting and candied lemons cut into slices on a plate on a white marble counter.

Remove the cake from the pan and spread the frosting on top. Top with candied lemons (optional).

lemon olive oil snack cake cut into slices on a marble serving board on a white counter.

Recipe FAQ's

What makes an olive oil cake different?

An olive oil cake stands out from traditional butter-based cakes because of the unique qualities olive oil brings to the texture and flavor. Instead of the richness and density that butter provides, olive oil creates a cake that’s extra moist, tender, and often stays fresh longer since oil doesn’t firm up the way butter does. The flavor is also distinct—light, fruity, and slightly savory—adding depth that pairs beautifully with citrus, like in this lemon cake. Olive oil also makes the cake feel less heavy, giving it a delicate crumb and a more sophisticated, Mediterranean-inspired profile.

Can I make this cake gluten free?

Yes, there's a simple adjustment for gluten free in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe. I even link the gluten free flour that was tested!

What else can I do with Candied Lemons?

If you have extra Candied Lemons, you can half dip them in chocolate, add on top of cupcakes or even just eat on their own as a sweet treat.

slice of lemon olive oil snack cake with lemon frosting on a plate on a white marble counter.

More Lemon Recipes

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