This vegan Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake has it all: a moist, tender crumb and a slightly crackly crust made even more delicious by a two-ingredient lemony glaze. Bake it into cute little mini loaves, like I did, or in a single loaf.
This past weekend we went down to the National Mall to see the cherry blossoms at their peak– something we’ve done on and off in the 20 years we’ve lived in the Washington, D.C. area. It’s a sight impossible to tire of, especially when you are standing by the tidal basin and looking out at the thick fringe of pink-and-white flowers lined alongside the water’s edge.
Spring is always a beautiful time in D.C., although our flowers have been compromised this year by unseasonably warm weather this past winter followed by a late frost that snuffed out too many flowers prematurely. Even the cherry blossoms this year were not as full and lush as they usually are.
Nonetheless, it was nice to have a day to be a tourist in my city, to be one of thousands of people with nothing else to do but enjoy themselves thoroughly. Because caught up in the day-to-day, having fun, for me, sometimes gets reduced to slouching on the couch in front of the television set with Netflix for company. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 🙂
Back home, I was in the mood for baking. Does Spring put you in the mood for some cake? I know, I know, cake is the food for any mood, but baking one up seems particularly enticing in Spring, what with Easter around the corner and all.
I had long had my eye on making a vegan Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake. I had some gorgeous, yellow-orange Meyer lemons in the refrigerator, and time to kill.
I have never baked an olive oil cake before, although I’ve seen recipes often enough, and the reason, partly, is that I was never quite sure how the strong flavor would translate. The answer is, it doesn’t — or at least not in any way that’s offensive. Instead, the taste of the oil mellows down, becoming rather buttery. And the olive oil gives the cake quite the perfect texture: moist, and tender, with a slightly crisp crust.
Jay, my eight-year-old son, is a sucker for citrusy desserts, as I’ve told you before. He loved the cake, and especially the two-ingredient lemon glaze that I brushed the top with.
I know he will be requesting this Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake more often than I can make it. 🙂
Vegan lemon olive oil pound cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup cane sugar or turbinado sugar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 3 tsp egg replacer powder (use cornstarch if you can't find this-- use 2 tbsp)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons, but any lemons are fine)
For the lemony glaze:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp cane sugar or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Prep your loaf pan/pans. I baked these in three 5 1/2 by 3 inch loaf pans, but you can use a single 9 by 5 inch pan. Spray the pans with some oil and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the olive oil and the sugar at medium speed, for about a minute.
- Add the egg replacer powder, vanilla, lemon juice and milk, and continue to beat until well mixed, about 2 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, beating for no more than 20 minutes after each addition. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Pour the batter evenly into the pan or pans you're using. If using mini loaf pans, like I did, place them on a baking sheet before placing in the oven.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes in the mini loaf pans, or an hour in the regular sized loaf pan. When your timer goes off, check if the cake is done by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean, or with a few crumbs sticking, it's done. If you get wet batter, it needs more time in the oven.
- Cool the loaf pans on a rack until cool enough to handle, and then turn the cakes out. Glaze while still warm.
Make the lemony glaze:
- In a small saucepan, melt the sugar with the lemon juice. When it comes to a boil, turn off.
- Make small holes in the top of your cake with a toothpick and brush the glaze on. Let the cakes cool thoroughly before slicing.
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Let them eat more cake:
Wholegrain Banana Chia Cake with Crumb Topping
Jane Marshall says
April 1, 2017 atThank you for all these recipes – I really enjoy your accompanying stories as well, and the photographs…. all in all, I´m always very happy to see a mail from …you pop into my inbox. Thank you. Haven´t had time to try this, yet, but I will …. I live in some mountains in Spain and our lemons are dropping off the trees now and the local olive oil is fruity and fresh….. great to have this recipe!
Vaishali says
April 1, 2017 atThanks so much for the kind words, Jane, they are deeply appreciated. How lucky to have access to fresh-off-the-tree lemons and local olive oil! Sounds lovely. I do hope you will try the cake.
A.C. says
December 30, 2017 atI stumbled upon this recipe by internet search and was excited to try it. I made it right away and it was a fail for me. I use a high quality, fresh unfiltered olive oil in my cooking and this overpowered the lemon and we had to throw the loaf away. Fortunately, I only made half of the recipe so it’s less of a loss. The cake also sunk in the middle. I am a seasoned baker, have made olive oil loaves and I think for this cake the quantity of baking soda may be a little too much OR the oven needs to be higher. In your pics the cake sinks a little in the middle. This is caused from the baking powder getting to its full potential rise quicker than the cake cooks and the top begins to sink so that the proper rise isn’t there. I’m going to have a friend make the recipe as well to see their results.
Michele says
January 28, 2018 atI am trying to incorporate more vegan options in my diet and this was my first try at dessert. It didn’t work out. The cake did not hold its shape, it crumbled when I tried to cut it. I used cornstarch instead of the egg replacer, not sure if that had something to do with it. I have had vegan desserts before that taste similar to non-vegan desserts — but this had a distinct taste I was not accustomed to – just did not like it.
Cindy D. Ingram says
February 22, 2018 atYou inspired me!
https://culteavo.com/a-little-lemon-to-brighten-up-your-snowy-day-bake-with-tea/
Hilde says
February 24, 2018 atI just tried this recipe and I think the quantity of olive oil is too high. My cakes also sunk in the middle and the texture feels very heavy, very good taste, though!
AH says
November 21, 2018 atAgree with the other reviews where the recipe did not work. Possibly too heavy on the olive oil, cake crumbled, possibly upset the tummy with the oil as well. Great taste to me though
sj says
January 29, 2019 atI made this cake tonight and it is good. I used bob’s red mill gluten free flour with a bit on xanthan gum and it turned out great, though it did need about 40 minutes extra baking. It’s a very moist cake but it holds together wonderfully. The olive oil flavor probably isn’t for everyone, but I like it.
Liliana says
May 3, 2019 atI just made this cake. It is perfect! I followed the recipe exactly as written. I’m not much of a cake person, but this was hard to stop eating. Thanks for the delicious recipe!