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4.9 from 114 votes

Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Vegan)

This easy recipe for Lemon Olive Oil Cake is the ultimate spring and summer dessert! This loaf cake also happens to be a vegan dessert, making it a thoughtful addition to a potluck or picnic menu.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 321 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the cake:
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (see note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup turbinado sugar (see note 2)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil (see note 3)
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the cake:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. To make vegan buttermilk, in a small bowl whisk together almond milk, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside to blend for 5 minutes
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together sugar and olive oil in a large bowl until creamy. Whisk in buttermilk mixture.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold into buttermilk mixture and stir until just incorporated.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. 
  6. Remove from oven and cool at least 10 minutes in the pan. Remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and cool completely.
To make the glaze:
  1. Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over cooled cake, allowing excess to drip off the cake onto the baking sheet beneath.

Notes

  • Unsweetened almond milk: This works one-for-one as a substitute for regular cow's milk in this and nearly any baking recipe. Here, I combine the plant-based milk with lemon juice to create a vegan buttermilk replacement. (In case you missed it, here's my non-vegan buttermilk swap!)
  • Turbinado sugar: This sweetener is less processed than regular granulated sugar. The latter may or may not be vegan, depending on the brand and how its processed, so I formulated this olive oil cake recipe to use partially-refined turbinado. Some of the molasses from the sugarcane remains in the mix for turbinado sugar, so it has a subtle caramel flavor that plays nicely in this vegan dessert recipe.
  • Olive oil: No need to splurge on the super-fancy and flavorful olive-green finishing oils. Mild-flavored, light olive oil is ideal for baking.
  • Yield: My Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe makes eight generous slices.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • Freezer: The cooled loaf (frosted or unfrosted) can be wrapped in a double-layer of freezer plastic, dated, labeled, and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 321kcal (16%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 325mg (14%) Potassium 120mg (3%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 34g (68%) Vitamin A 3IU (0%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 321

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 321kcal 16%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 325mg 14%
Potassium 120mg 3%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 34g 68%
Vitamin A 3IU 0%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 52mg 5%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.