Olive oil cakes have been among my favorite cakes for ages, almost as high as my Eggless Banana Cake. It’s a classic European recipe, usually made with three eggs, so it’s typically not vegan. However, this vegan version is unbelievably close to the authentic olive oil cake with a fluffy, spongy, moist crumb perfect with a cup of tea.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to make this tasty olive oil cake are:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Choose a light olive oil flavor if you are not sure you will enjoy the olive oil flavor in the cake. In fact, olive oil flavors range from 1 (light) to 5 (strong), and you can pick one that is light to start with. Unsweetened Applesauce – You can also use mashed banana if you prefer. Sugar – Any crystal sugar works, from classic sugar to coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is less refined, so it’s generally considered a healthier alternative. Baking Soda and Baking Powder – to give the cake some rise. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice – You can also use bottled lemon or even lime juice. Lemon Zest – For color and flavor. Non-Dairy Milk – The mild-flavored plant-based milk is the best, like almond milk or oat milk. However, coconut milk or soy milk will also work very well. All-Purpose Flour – or white spelt flour. Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
How To Make Vegan Olive Oil Cake
It’s so easy to make an cake with olive oil cake! Even if you never baked a vegan cake recipe before, you will be sure to success with this one-bowl cake recipe.
Serving
Serve the cake plain or decorate the cake with:
A dust of powdered sugar Fresh fruits like fresh blueberries or fresh lemon slices Sliced almonds – better to add these on top of the unbaked cake so they stick to the top of the cake.
If you prefer, make a batch of my vegan royal icing recipe, add in some lemon juice instead of almond milk. Then, drizzle on the cooled cake or on the slice before serving.
Storage Instructions
This vegan olive oil cake recipe can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge in a sealed cake box. You can also freeze the cake whole or in slices in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw the cake at room temperature just before serving.
Variations
You can use this vegan lemon olive oil cake recipe with different citrus flavors. Replace the lemon juice and lemon zest with other citrus fruits like:
Grapefruit Lime Mandarin Orange
Always make sure you use untreated, organic citrus fruits when it comes to adding zest. This prevents adding preservatives to your recipe. Other option consists of replacing the vanilla extract with:
Almond Extract Orange blossom water Rose water
Allergy Swaps
I listed below some substitutions suggestions if you are allergic to some of the ingredients.
Gluten-Free – I didn’t try all-purpose gluten-free flour in the recipe but I am confident it will work with a 1:1 flour blend containing xanthan gum. However, like any vegan gluten-free cake, if you use the recipe as per written but with a gluten-free flour blend, the texture will be slightly gummy, not as moist. Nut-Free – Use coconut oil, soy milk, or oat milk. Sugar-Free – Replace the sugar with a natural sugar-free crystal sweetener like erythritol or allulose. Citrus-Free – You can simply skip the lemon zest and lemon juice without adding anything else in the cake.
Frosting Ideas
You can add some frosting on top of this olive oil cake. Below are some of the best frosting recipes to match this lemon olive oil flavor:
Cashew Frosting Coconut Frosting Vegan Vanilla Frosting
Find below my answers to your most common questions about this olive oil vegan cake recipe.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
I have plenty of delicious vegan cake recipes for you to try. Here are some of the best.
