Home / Toaster Oven Desserts

Mini Lemon Olive Oil Cake

ByBrie Updated
5 Comments
View Recipe

A lemon-kissed, incredibly moist, crispy-edged Mini Lemon Olive Oil Cake. Perfect for any occasion, this unfussy little cake can also be baked as a mini loaf or cupcakes!

Closeup of tender cake slice on plate with blueberries and whipped cream.

The Olive Oil Cake in Mark Bittman’s How To Bake Everything Cookbook was the inspiration for this small batch recipe.

That original cake is easy to throw together (you don’t need a mixer) and features the deliciously sophisticated combination of citrus and olive oil. But alas it also makes about 16 servings.

So we did what we do and downsized it. Our much smaller cake is still incredibly simple and good, only now you won’t have a ton of leftovers!

Recipe ingredients arranged on a table and labeled.

Ingredient Notes

Olive Oil: An unrefined extra-virgin variety will give the cake an assertive grassy or floral olive oil flavor. Use a mild or light-tasting variety for a more subtle flavor.

Lots of Lemon: If you’re looking for an in-your-face amount of lemon, swap the vanilla extract for lemon extract, use a lemon-infused olive oil, and top the baked cake with a lemon glaze (see recipe notes).

How to Make a Small Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Step 1: Prep the pan. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 6 x 2-inch round cake pan. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Set aside.

Brushing pan with oil, whipping eggs and sugar, pouring cake batter in a pan.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until fluffy and pale.

Step 4: Whisk in the olive oil, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice. Then add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Step 5: Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Cool the cake in the pan for a bit. Then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Baked cake in a 6-inch pan cooling on a rack.

Recipe Tips and Variations

  • Try other citrus fruits: orange, grapefruit, lime, or clementine are all good options.
  • Change up the texture: mix in a few tablespoons of chopped pistachios or unsweetened shredded coconut.
  • Bake olive oil cupcakes: in just 13 minutes you’ll have 5 tender cupcakes to enjoy! Make sure to grease the muffin tin well or use liners as the cupcakes are prone to sticking.
  • Make a tiny loaf: using a 5.75 x 3 x 2-inch mini loaf pan. Bake at 350F until a skewer in the middle comes out clean, our mini loaf took about 30 minutes.
Cupcake topped with whipped cream and lemon zest on a piece of parchment.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is great on its own. But you can dress it up with a dusting of powdered sugar. Or serve alongside some small batch whipped cream and fresh berries.

For an extra special treat, whip up a tangy lemon glaze by whisking together ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract. Paired with the moist cake, the flavor reminds me of a Starbucks lemon loaf!

6-inch cake with berries and glazed mini lemon loaf on a table.

More Small Batch Baking Recipes

Overhead view of small cake on plate with berries and mini loaf sliced into pieces.

Mini Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Simple, moist, and flavorful, this little lemon olive oil cake is perfect for any occasion. Even better, the easy small-batch recipe can be baked as a mini loaf or cupcakes!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) All Purpose Flour or White Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 large Egg (about 50 grams, weighed without shell)
  • 1/4 cup (48 grams) Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 grams) Olive Oil, plus more for the pan
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) Milk (Dairy or Non-Dairy)
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest, from a small lemon
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) Lemon Juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Lemon Extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. If using a toaster oven, adjust the cooking rack to the bottom position and select the BAKE setting.
  2. Generously grease the bottom and sides of a 6 x 2-inch round cake pan.
    In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the egg and sugar, and whisk until fluffy and pale, about 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, milk, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice. Stir in the flour mixture and mix just until combined and no flour lumps remain.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few small crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes.
  5. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife or mini offset spatula around the edges and invert onto a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cupcakes: Grease (or line) 5 cavities in a muffin pan, and distribute batter evenly. Bake at 350°F until the cupcakes are browned around the edges, spring back when gently pressed in the centers, and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs, about 12 to 15 minutes

Mini Loaf: Pour batter into a well-oiled mini loaf pan (5.75 x 3 x 2-inch). Bake at 350°F until a skewer in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Convection Toaster Oven: Reduce temperature to 325°F and check for doneness earlier (about 2/3 of the way through the cooking time).

Quick Lemon Glaze: Whisk together ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour over the completely cooked cake, spread as needed, and let set for 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 Cake Slice (Untopped)
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 243Total Fat: 15.6gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 119mgCarbohydrates: 24.3gFiber: 0.5gSugar: 12.6gProtein: 3.4g
© Brie Norris
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert For Two

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

5 Comments

    1. I’d never heard of a tower toaster oven before, had to do a quick Google.

      This is the one I found, not sure if it’s the same one you have? If it is, there is not a convection feature on that toaster oven (not all of them have it) there is just a conventional “Bake” setting on the left knob.

      There is a link to the “User’s Guide” on the page that gives specific instructions for using the bake setting. It looks like you are not able to adjust the temperature.

      Unfortunately, the guide does not say what temperature the “Bake” setting is regulated too. You might want to give the manufacturer a call and see what assistance/info they can offer beyond the manual?

      Update: Sorry I didn’t think of this sooner, the easiest way to find out the actual temperature is to toss an oven thermometer in there before preheating. Here’s our step-by-step guide explaining how to test your toaster oven’s temperature.

      Reply

  3. This is a tech difficulty. I am unable to download into Paprika recipe app, either through the app download or by cutting and pasting from the website in Safari. Only one line at a time will highlight, which is way too cumbersome even for the best recipe.

    Reply