Italian Lemon Cake

Posted by admin on Feb 24, 2023

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Prepare to be wowed by the exceptional flavors of this Italian Lemon Cake with olive oil. With just one bite, you’ll find yourself transported to wonderful Italy!

This simple but delectable cake has the perfect balance of zesty lemon and rich olive oil and is sure to become a favorite amongst your family and friends!

Italian Lemon Cake with a slice removed on a black wire cooling rack with lemons in the background. — Exceptionally moist and light!

Italian Lemon cake is also known as “torta di limone” and is much loved by my family. We love the citrusy aroma and bright flavor. It’s exceptionally good because of the light but moist texture created by using olive oil instead of butter.

In Italian bakeries all over the world, you’ll find celebration cakes like the classic Rum Cake, or delicious Cannoli Cake. However, in Italian kitchens, simple cakes like my Italian Almond Cake are dusted with powdered sugar and served with coffee for breakfast. My mother was well known for her Pan di Spagna. And my cousin treated us to her Lemon Yogurt cake when we stayed with her in Turin.

This Lemon olive oil cake is the best of both worlds! You can dress it up with lemon curd and whipped cream. Or keep it traditionally simple. Either way, it’ll become a firm favorite. With lemon in the form of juice and zest, there’s no denying this cake's flavour. If you love lemon flavors as much as I do, this is the cake recipe for you!

I know you’ll love this Italian Lemon cake.

The lemon flavor is so fresh, tangy and vibrant. Lemon is a classic Italian flavor, showing up in many recipes like my Lemon Biscotti and is super popular with all generations.
It has the most tender and moist crumb that remains that way even after a few days.
It’s a versatile cake. Great for breakfast or an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee, this cake can also be split in half and filled with lemon curd and whipped cream for a decadent dessert.
This Italian Lemon Cake is easy to make and within the capabilities of most people who have basic baking skills. Be sure to follow all my tips for success.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card bottom of the page.

Ingredients

Ingredient for this recipe viewed from above.

Eggs - I prefer to use large, free range eggs for their gorgeous yellow yolks. However use whatever you’ve got in the fridge, this cake will still work.
Granulated sugar - this recipe calls for regular white granulated sugar which you’ll probably have in your pantry. Sugar doesn’t expire so it’s good to have extra on hand if you like baking. Keep the sugar away from moisture.
Lemon zest and juice - I used one large lemon to get the zest and juice for this Italian Lemon Cake but if the lemons are small you’ll need two.
Olive oil - you can use whichever type of olive oil you like the taste of. If you don’t want to taste the olive oil, go for the light (in taste) type. If you’re like me and enjoy the full flavor of extra virgin olive oil, use it!
Whole milk - for this recipe, it’s best to use whole milk but if you only have 2% use that - it’ll be fine.
All purpose flour - use plain all purpose flour that contains no extra raising agents.
Baking powder - be sure to use fresh baking powder. If you’re unsure, spoon a little into some hot water. If it’s still active it will bubble. If not, buy a fresh one. Store it in a dry cupboard away from heat and moisture.
Powdered sugar - just like my Spanish Almond Cake, this cake is perfectly finished with a simple dusting of powdered sugar.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Begin by preheating the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Use a little bit of olive oil to grease an 8 inch (20cm) pan with high sides then line the base with a circle of parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Adding olive oil to beaten eggs and sugar using hand held red electric mixer.

Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick, light and creamy. Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

Adding lemon juice to beaten eggs and sugar using red hand held electric mixer.

Slowly add the lemon juice followed by lemon zest and milk.

Adding flour to beaten eggs and sugar using a red hand held electric mixer.

On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until mixture is smooth and lump free.

Cake batter in a round cake pan viewed from above.

Scrape in a prepared baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Dust with powdered sugar to serve.

Hint: Every oven is slightly different so get to know your oven. Some ovens run hot and other ovens are a bit cooler. You may need to adjust baking times depending on your oven.

Substitutions

Fresh lemon juice and zest - use bottled lemon juice and a few drops of lemon oil instead of using a fresh lemon.
Lemon zest - for extra lemony flavor, increase the lemon zest or add a few drops of pure lemon oil or extract.
Extra virgin olive oil - use regular or light flavored olive oil if you prefer. Alternatively, sunflower seed oil can be used if that’s all you have. Of course, it won’t have the flavors of olive oil but it will still be just as moist and tender.
Powdered sugar - The top of the cake can be sprinkled with granulated sugar before baking if you don’t have powdered sugar. This will give a crackly crust and a little extra sweetness.

Variations

Dairy Free - substitute plant based milk for the whole milk to make a delicious dairy free lemon cake.
Italian Lemon Cream Cake - carefully split the baked and cooled cake through the middle. Place one layer on a serving platter and spread with some lemon curd. Top the lemon curd with a layer of whipped cream then the second layer of cake. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Frosted - top this Italian Lemon Cake with cream cheese frosting which is an absolutely delicious pairing.
Bundt cake - pour the batter into a well greased bundt pan. Baking time will decrease. Check for doneness after 30 minutes.

Equipment

This Italian Lemon Cake is best baked in a 8 inch round cake pan (or 20cm). Choose a cake pan that is rather deep because this cake will rise a little. You could also use a similar sized spring form cake pan.

Storage

Store this cake at room temperature. In summer or during hotter days, this cake can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container.

Tips for Success and FAQ’s

Yellow cake dusted with powdered sugar with a few slices cut viewed from above.

Begin by having everything ready. Gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven and prepare the pan before beginning the cake batter. This is quite a quick batter to prepare so it’s best to plan ahead.

Like many baking recipes, it’s best to have all the ingredients at room temperature. This ensures that all the ingredients amalgamate and combine really well..

Be sure to beat the eggs together with the sugar until frothy, thickened and light in color. This is important to create a fine crumb and texture. However after adding the flour, don't over beat. This will make the cake tough.

What are Italian cakes called?

Italian cakes are called “torte” or singular “torta” which is why this cake is known as “torta di limone”. Another popular Italian cake is Torta Caprese, a chocolate and almond cake. One of my personal favorites is Torta della Nonna which is filled with vanilla pastry cream.

What is the best kind of frosting for lemon cake?

The best frosting for this Lemon cake would be a very simple glaze. Just add enough fresh lemon juice to powdered sugar to create a pourable icing which can be drizzled over the cake. For a more decadent finish, top Lemon cake with my cream cheese frosting.

What are the best oils for a cake recipe

The best oils for a cake recipe can be vary depending on the flavor of the cake. For this Italian Lemon Cake, I like to use extra virgin olive oil for it’s distictive flavor and aroma. However for cakes like my Cannoli Cake, use sunflower or grapeseed so that it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in the cake. If you prefer, use a light flavored olive oil in this Lemon Cake

Serving Suggestions

Slice of cake on a white plate with dollop of cream and cake fork.

Italian Lemon Cake is makes a wonderful dessert served with a dollop of whipped cream, Mascarpone Cream or even Sweet Ricotta. A fruit sauce like Strawberry Compote or Cherry Sauce is also a very tasty addition.

Actually, my favorite way to serve this cake with a coffee for an Italian style breakfast. And within moments, I’m in Italy again!

Made this recipe?
Let me know if you liked it by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating and a review below. Please share a photo of your creation by tagging me on Instagram @marcellina.in.cucina!