Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Gluten-Free)

This Lemon Olive Oil Cake is truly unique! With thinly sliced Meyer lemons creating layers that act as frosting and make every bite lemony and incredibly delicious, it's an upside-down, gluten-free cake that's beautiful for any celebration.

I always love making this gluten-free Lemon Olive Oil Cake during citrus season when Meyer lemons abound.

In this recipe, the lemons do three things: they flavor the cake, decorate it, and "frost" it. Thin lemon slices on top and a layer inside are like frosting - especially the inside layer, which becomes slightly creamy during the cooking process.

Typically we use the juice and zest of lemons in baking, but I love keeping some of the fruit whole - in the case of this cake, thin slices of lemon. And with the sweetness of the cake, it's not too tart or sour, even with the lemon peels.

You can make a round cake or a loaf cake. Either way, it's easy to make, easy to slice, and should be made a day ahead of time.

It's the perfect lemon lovers' treat!

Ingredient Notes

• Meyer lemons - You can use any lemon variety, however, if you can get Meyer lemons, they are a touch less tart and a touch sweeter than others. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they're incredibly juicy. Their season is generally between November and March.
• extra virgin olive oil - Use an olive oil you love the flavor of, but not one that's too strong because we want the lemon flavor to shine.
• gluten-free all-purpose flour - I always use Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Multi Purpose Flour, but most 1 to 1 gluten-free flours are pretty good. You can also use regular all-purpose gluten-free flour if keeping it gluten-free isn't important to you.
• almond flour or almond meal - Almond flour is very finely ground almonds, and I love it in this recipe. For a bit more texture, you can use almond meal, which includes the almond skins.
• granulated sugar - You can substitute with coconut sugar if necessary.
• eggs - Large eggs. Use pasture raised when possible.
• baking powder - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking powder is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of boiling water over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking powder. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
• baking soda - Like the baking powder, if you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking soda is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
• Kosher salt - If you use table salt, use half the amount.

How to Make it

- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, or the entire inside of two 8½-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.

- Zest a few of the lemons to get 3 tablespoons of zest, and then slice all of them as thinly as you can. If there are seeds, remove them as you go, and don't worry if you can't slice the entire lemon (it gets hard to hold and slice as it gets smaller). Set the slices aside.

Recipe Tip: Depending on how thinly you can slice the lemons, the amount of lemons you'll use might vary.

- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar with the olive oil, vanilla, lemon zest and salt. Blend until it's smooth. Then add the eggs and mix until they are fully incorporated, and the batter is once again smooth. Now gently fold in the flour, almond flour or meal, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until smooth and set aside.

*Pro Tip* If you want to really intensify the flavor of the lemon, before making the batter, add the lemon zest and the sugar to a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds. This will release the oils from the lemon into the sugar.

- Sprinkle 1½ tablespoons of the remaining sugar over the bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Then in a single layer, line the bottom surface with lemon slices. Evenly spread about half of the batter over the lemon slices, and carefully press another single layer of the lemon slices over this first layer of batter, and sprinkle them with the last 1½ tablespoons of sugar. Finally, evenly spread the remaining batter on top.

Recipe Tip: For an even more decorative cake, you can also add slices on the sides of the pan. If you do this you will need to cut some of the slices in half, placing the flat edge at the bottom edge of the pan.

- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until the cake is golden brown, is beginning to crack, and will no longer jiggle when you move the pan - about 55 minutes for the round cake pan, and about 45 minutes for the loaf pans.

- Let the cake cool in the pan(s) for about 20 minutes or so. Then invert it onto a serving platter and very slowly and gently, peel away the parchment paper. Let it cool for at least another 45 minutes before slicing. (Ideally, slicing the cake the next day is best).

This is what the loaf version looks like...

Serving Suggestions

This cake can definitely stand on its own, but it's also lovely served with:

• Whipped cream made with a little lemon zest.
• Warmed slightly, and served with vanilla or lemon custard ice cream.
• With a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Making it Ahead and Storage

• This cake can be made up to two days ahead. Keep it wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature.
• Leftovers can be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, or placed in an airtight container and kept refrigerated for about 5 days. It's not ideal to freeze this lemon cake because the citrus slices will likely become watery when it thaws.

More Must-Try Lemon Dessert Recipes

And Must-Try Savory Lemon Recipes

• Meyer Lemon Thyme Spaghetti
• Fried Meyer Lemon Caesar Salad
• Marinated Meyer Lemon Garlic Croutons
• Meyer Lemon Basil Salad Dressing

I hope you love this cake as much as I do!

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