Published: Sep 11, 2020 · Modified: May 31, 2023 by Rebecca Blackwell · This post may contain affiliate links · 27 Comments

Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze

Name: Lemon Olive Oil Loaf Cake with Tart Lemon Glaze
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; 1 cup + 2 tbsp (223g) granulated sugar; 1/2 cup (118ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (use the juice of the lemon for the glaze); 1 1/2 - 2 tsp lemon oil (*see note below); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 cup (8oz/ 227g) full-fat sour cream; 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp table salt (1tsp kosher salt); 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar

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This simple lemon loaf cake is exceptionally moist, tender, and flavorful thanks to olive oil, lemon oil, and a generous blanket of tart lemon glaze.

"Just made the famous Lemon Loaf Cake. Sooooo good. The cake has a lightness I didn’t expect. Next time I will order some lemon oil. I used lemon extract, but I could use more lemon flavor in the cake. Great recipe!!!!!!!!" - Connie

A lemon loaf cake with a few slices cut from the cake.

In my version of a perfect world, we would always have a freshly baked cake on hand when someone stopped by unexpectedly or on those afternoons when I'm feeling sluggish and craving something sweet. Nothing fancy. Something like this Lemon Loaf Cake, or perhaps a pound cake, or berry snack cake.

This, of course, rarely happens. But, the idea is honestly not that far out of reach.

Loaf cakes are one of those simple things that you can sometimes make on a whim, quickly, for no other reason than to satisfy a craving for cake.

It takes only about 20 minutes to mix up the batter for this lemon loaf cake. It's sweet, but not overly so. Bright and lemony. Tender and perfectly sliceable. Appropriate to to eat with your fingers or with a plate and fork.

Not only does the cake come together quickly, it will stay fresh and delicious for days. It's simpler to make (though perhaps not quite as pretty) as Lemon Ricotta Cakes or Mini Lime Pound Cakes, but no less delicious.

Using a fork to cut a bite from a slice of lemon loaf cake.

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Ingredients Needed to Prepare this Recipe
What is Lemon Oil?
How to Bake with Olive Oil
How to Store this Lemon Loaf Cake
More Recipes for Lemon Lovers
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Ingredients Needed to Prepare this Recipe

All of the ingredients needed to make a lemon loaf cake.

Eggs. This recipe requires more egg yolks than egg whites because the yolks add richness, flavor, and emulsifying lecithin.
Granulated sugar.
Extra virgin olive oil.
The zest and juice from 2 lemons.
Lemon Oil.
Pure vanilla extract.
Sour cream, preferably full-fat.
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Powdered (confectioners) sugar for the tart lemon glaze.

What is Lemon Oil?

Lemon oil is a great addition to your pantry, but be aware that there are two very different, kinds of lemon oil.

One is olive oil that's been infused with lemon either by including lemon with the olives when they are cold pressed, or by gently heating olive oil with lemon peel to infuse it with lemon flavor. This kind of lemon oil is fantastic in salad dressing, pasta dishes, or simply drizzled over grilled meat or veggies. But, it's not the kind of lemon oil you want to use in baking.

For the most part I think lemon oil has a much better flavor than lemon extract. Also, because lemon oil is so concentrated, you only need to use a little bit to achieve a strong lemon flavor. In general, ⅛ teaspoon lemon oil is equal to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, or 1 teaspoon of lemon zest.

So, to achieve a tender, fluffy cake with strong lemon flavor, lemon oil is the best option.

Using a spoon to drizzle lemon glaze over the top of a lemon loaf cake.

How to Bake with Olive Oil

Olive Oil's fruity flavor is a perfect match for a wide variety of cakes, cookies, and other desserts. But, I particularly like it with citrus flavors.

Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Cream and Orange Olive Oil Cake with Mascarpone Frosting are two my all-time favorite cakes and I've yet to serve either of them to anyone who didn't feel the same.

Unlike neutral tasting oils like canola or vegetable oil, olive oil adds a subtle depth of flavor in cakes that makes them more interesting.
In addition, oil based cakes tend to bake up loftier, have a more even crumb, and stay fresh for much longer than butter based recipes.
Since oil is lighter than butter, the texture of oil-based cakes is lighter as well.
And, because oil is comprised of 100% fat (American butter is 80% fat, 5% milk solids and 15% water), the texture of oil-based cakes are noticeably more soft and tender.

The most important thing to know about using oil in cakes is that must be added slowly.

By nature, fat and liquid are unmixable. This presents a problem when making cake batter because nearly every kind of cake includes some kind of liquid and some kind of fat.

Pouring olive oil into cake batter while an electric mixer beats the oil into the batter.

The solution is to create an emulsion – a situation in which tiny droplets of a liquid are dispersed in a fat. Certain substances, like egg yolks, act as emulsifiers. This means that when agitated, they help fat and liquid come together and stay together.

Just like in this recipe for Hummingbird Cupcakes, this cake uses eggs to bind oil and sugar together into a smooth, even batter.

Beat eggs and sugar tighter until they are light and fluffy.
Then, pour the oil into the batter very slowly, in a thin steady stream, while the mixer continues to beat.

This creates an emulsion, with the eggs and sugar uniformly dispersed within the fat molecules.

Since sugar isn’t dissolvable in oil, dissolving it in the eggs before adding the oil creates an even distribution between elements that don’t normally like to mix. The method ensures that plenty of air is incorporated into the cake batter and gives the baked cake a super soft, tender crumb.

A slice of lemon loaf cake on a white plate.

How to Store this Lemon Loaf Cake

As I mentioned earlier, cakes made with oil stay fresh much longer than cakes made with butter. So, this cake will keep well at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days. Stored tightly wrapped the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze this cake as a whole or in slices for up to 3 months. To freeze the whole loaf, wrap it in a couple layers of plastic wrap then in a layer or two of aluminum foil. To freeze individual slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap then stack the slices inside a freezer zip top bag.

Defrost the cake, or individual slices of cake, in the refrigerator overnight. Or simply set it out, still wrapped, on the countertop for a few hours.

A lemon loaf cake cooling on a wood cutting boad.

A lemon loaf cake covered in tart lemon glaze.

More Recipes for Lemon Lovers

Is there anything better than a really good lemon bar? These easy homemade lemon bars are bursting with tart lemon flavor thanks to a triple whammy of lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon oil or extract.

If you're baking for a picnic, cookout, camping trip or after-school snack, it's hard to beat this lemon berry snack cake. Soft, fluffy squares of vanilla butter cake, flavored with lemon, packed with berries, and slathered with sweet-tart lemon icing.

Speaking of desserts that are perfect for cookouts and potlucks, this super easy lemon icebox pie is cool, creamy, and a real crowd-pleaser.

And, to top any cake, muffin, or pastry with sweet-tart lemon flavor, try this 5-minute simple lemon icing.

If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or take a picture and tag it #ofbatteranddough on Instagram.

Happy baking!

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