Olive Oil Lemon Upside Down Cake

This olive oil lemon upside down cake is such a unique and stunning citrus dessert! The olive oil and lemon flavors are equally potent and lend to a beautifully moist crumb. As a simple one-layer cake, it's perfect when you're in need of a minimal effort, high reward dessert!

This post is sponsored by Roland Foods. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sloane's Table possible! 

This olive oil lemon upside down cake is made with homemade candied lemon slices, which not only create a beautiful design on top, but also taste amazing (rind and all!). The cake itself is packed with lemon flavor thanks to the juice and zest of 6 whole lemons. And of course the addition of Roland Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil complements the lemon so well and adds robust floral notes to each bite.

p.s. this cake is also naturally dairy-free!

For more lemon recipes, try Small Batch Lemon Bars, Lemon Raspberry Muffins, Lemon Crinkle Cookies, and Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf.

Why you'll love this olive oil lemon upside down cake

• Candied Lemons: By candying the lemons, they can be used to create the beautiful design on top and enjoyed whole!
• Robust Olive Oil Flavor: Roland Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil provides a gorgeous robust flavor, as well as moisture in this cake.
• Bright Lemon Flavor: This cake does not skimp on the lemon flavor! With both the zest and juice of 6 lemons added to the batter, the bright citrus flavor is unmistakable.
• Soft & Moist Crumb: The combination of olive oil, lemon juice, and 3 eggs results in incredibly tender texture!

Ingredient Notes

• Flour: Use a high quality, unbleached all-purpose flour for best overall results.
• Olive Oil: The robust and full-bodied flavor of Roland Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil makes this cake that much more special!
• Lemons: The zest and juice of 6 fresh lemons provides a potent lemon flavor in this cake.
• Eggs: Bring your eggs to room temperature quickly by placing them in the bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this lemon olive oil cake recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

STEP 1: Blanch the lemon slices. Boil the lemon slices for 2 minutes, then transfer them to the ice bath. This step is not essential, but it helps to reduce the bitterness of the rinds.

STEP 2: Candy the lemons. Once the sugar syrup has reached 212 degrees F, carefully add the lemon slices, turn the heat up to high, and bring the syrup up to 225 degrees F. Do not move them around too much, but keep them from sticking to the sides of the pan. This can take about 20-30 minutes. 

Transfer the lemon slices to a cooling rack over a parchment lined baking sheet and allow them to cool while you make the cake batter.

STEP 3: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

STEP 4: Rub the sugar and lemon zest together. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until the it resembles wet sand and the zest smells aromatic.

STEP 5: Mix in the wet ingredients. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla. Use an electric hand mixer or whisk to mix until well combined. 

STEP 6: Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. 

STEP 7: Arrange the lemon slices and pour in the batter. Arrange the candied lemon slices in the cake pan, overlapping them slightly. Very slowly pour the cake batter into the pan, careful not to disturb the lemon slices. 

STEP 8: Bake. Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or until lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Once the cake comes out of the oven, use a knife to loosen the sides from the pan. Place a large plate on top and flip the cake over. Remove the pan, then gently peel back the parchment paper. 

Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a serrated knife to cut individual slices, and enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Use a mandoline to cut the lemons. To get even lemon slices that are as thin as possible, use a mandoline!
• Use a robust olive oil! Explore Roland Foods’ olive oil and other offerings on Amazon.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x