Easy Anytime Lemon Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Lemon Cake Recipe is incredibly moist and tender, with bright citrus flavors. An easy no mixer cake you’ll love anytime you’re craving a lemony treat!
Lightly sweet, easy to make, and perfect to enjoy with afternoon tea or coffee.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
Why I Love This Anytime Lemon Cake
You may have noticed that I love lemon desserts when searching for recipes on the site. If like me you love all things lemon, be sure to see my collection of lemon recipes (both sweet and savory) and view which ones are most popular for our readers!
This moist lemon cake recipe is made completely from scratch in less than 10 minutes. It’s one of my favorite teatime treats. Any time of the year!
This batter is made with freshly grated lemon zest (key to the cake’s delicious flavor) and fresh lemon juice. It’s perfectly moist while still being fluffy and light. Plus, it keeps well for up to 4 day at room temperature or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Much like my almond cake, this lemon cake is decorated simply, as all our “anytime” cakes are. A dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs. If you have a doily or cake stencil on hand, it becomes beautiful with zero effort.
Is Lemon Olive Oil Cake Healthier?
The fat in this cake comes primarily from olive oil. You may wonder if that makes it healthier. Because olive oil contains mostly monounsaturated fats, considered “good” fats, saturated fat is lower than in recipes made with butter. In addition, olive oil brings additional antioxidants and potential health benefits.
Lemon Cake Recipe Ingredients
It’s hard to believe these simple, mostly pantry ingredients could create this moist, flavorful cake! Here’s what you need:
- All-purpose flour forms the base of the batter.
- Baking powder and baking soda help it rise.
- Salt brings the bright, sweet flavors to the foreground.
- Eggs add moisture and richness.
- Olive oil gives it fruity notes that highlight the citrus flavor.
- Granulated sugar sweetens it up.
- Vanilla extract adds depth of flavor.
- Lemon juice and zest make it vibrant and bright.
- And a dusting of powdered sugar gives it a sweet finish!
Let’s bake!
How to Make Lemon Cake
Begin by preheating the oven to 350℉ and greasing the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. You can also line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
Step 1: Whisk the wet ingredients
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar and lemon zest and rub them together to infuse some of the oil into the sugar. Whisk in the olive oil and eggs until combined, and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Step 2: Whisk dry ingredients & the batter
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Combine just until there are no dry flour streaks.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Step 3: Bake the cake
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the cake rises and begins to turn golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the top is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over the top toward the end of baking.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing the cake from the springform pan. Let cool before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into wedges.
Quick Tips for Making This Easy Lemon Cake Recipe
- Sift the dry ingredients: Sifting the flour aerates it, creating an overall fluffier cake. I add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a fine mesh sieve. A whisk makes this job less messy!
- Lemon zest: This key ingredient is really the secret behind a lemon cake that tastes as expected, lemony! Use a zester and combine the zest with the granulated sugar to help distribute this amazing flavor!
- Fresh lemon juice: Because you are already zesting the lemons, squeezing juice from them is a breeze. And really, the already prepared lemon juice just isn’t comparable to the flavor found in fresh lemons.
Kitchen Tools I Used:
Springform Pan: I love using a 9-inch nonstick springform pan whenever possible. I have both a light and a dark pan that are always in use!
Citrus Zester: This zester is easy to use and quickly zests the rind without the pith. It’s great for zesting citrus, hard cheese, and always, ginger.
Lemon Squeezer: I use this tool for lemons and limes; it is super handy to maintain and store.
Serving
The flavor of this anytime snack cake or teacake is so rich and delicious that it doesn’t need much else. However, I love a dusting of powdered sugar over the cake for serving.
For this cake, I used an 8-inch food-safe paper Regency Doily and laid it over a just warm cake for a few minutes to soften. Then, using my favorite powdered sugar shaker, I dusted the cake before carefully lifting the doily off and discarding it.
My favorite tea pairing? I love Earl Grey for its citrusy bergamot notes that complement the zesty lemon cake flavor; other black teas like Darjeeling or English Breakfast also have subtle citrus notes and pair beautifully with lemon.
More Recipes to Try
- Zesty Lemon Icebox Pie
- Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe
- Lemon Pound Cake: Simple Bundt Cake Recipe
- Glazed Honey Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
- Baked Lemon Pudding
Anytime Lemon Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- zest from 3 lemons (about 1½-2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup olive oil (see notes)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk or half and half
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. You can also line the bottom and sides with parchment paper too.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar and lemon zest and rub them together to infuse some of the oil into the sugar. Whisk in the olive oil and eggs until combined, and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Combine just until there are no dry flour streaks.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the cake rises and begins to turn golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the top is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over the top toward the end of baking.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing the cake from the springform pan. Let cool before dusting with powdered sugar and cutting into wedges.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
So nice! This looked so good we wanted to try it. I was not certain about using olive oil, but it was so tasty! Moist and flavorful, with wonderful balance and texture. Thank you!