Gluten-Free Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Moist, tender, bright with lemon, and beautifully simple.

This cake is ultra-moist thanks to olive oil, lightly sweet, and full of fresh lemon juice and zest. It’s elegant enough for entertaining, yet easy enough to bake anytime. Tastes even better the next day!

Ingredients (10 total)

Dry Ingredients

• 1½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum)

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• scant ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • (just under the line; for precision use ¼ tsp + ⅛ tsp)

• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup olive oil (extra-virgin for more flavor; regular for milder taste)

• ¾ cup Greek yogurt

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 5 tablespoons lemon juice (¼ cup + 1 tbsp)

• 4 teaspoons lemon zest (zest of about 2 large lemons)

Instructions

1. Prep the pan & oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

• Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil.

• Line the bottom with parchment, then oil the parchment too.

2. Mix the dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:

• gluten-free flour

• sugar

• baking soda

• baking powder

• salt

3. Add wet ingredients

• Make a well in the center.

• Add olive oil, Greek yogurt, and eggs. Mix until combined.

4. Add lemon

• Add lemon juice and lemon zest.

• Mix again until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated.

5. Bake

• Pour batter into prepared pan.

• Bake 35–38 minutes.

  • Check at 30 minutes. If the top is browning, loosely tent with foil for the final 7–8 minutes.

• Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool

• Cool in the pan 30–45 minutes.

• Turn out onto a rack, peel off parchment, then flip right-side up.

• Cool another 30+ minutes.

7. Serve

Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
Serve plain or with fresh berries—both are incredible.

Tips for Best Results

• Extra-virgin olive oil gives a fruity, aromatic note (not overpowering).

• Regular olive oil makes the cake more neutral.

• This cake stays moist for days and tastes even better on day 2.

• Perfect for brunch, dessert, or afternoon coffee/tea.