Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake

I recently made this strawberry lemon olive oil cake for Anthony’s birthday and it was SUCH a hit with the whole family! It’s an olive oil yogurt cake soaked in lemon simple syrup with strawberry compote, lemon curd, in an airy cream cheese frosting….The cake is bursting with flavor, indulgent yet light, tart and sweet. It is made with all whole ingredients and with the help of some Skyr yogurt, it even has some sneaky added protein.

A round cake with smooth white frosting, topped with swirls of whipped cream, fresh lemon slices, and halved strawberries, displayed on a glass cake stand in natural light.

For the past 5 years, I made Anthony’s favorite cake – a carrot cake! I always like to add a little twist, and last year’s Miso Carrot Cake was a true winner. But this year I wanted to shake things up so I asked his if he had any other cake flavors he’d be in to. His response: strawberry & lemon. So with that as my starting point, I began dreaming up the cake. I knew I wanted an olive oil base and for the fillings decided to go big or go home, so both strawberry compote and lemon curd. To balance the sweetness, I always love a cream cheese frosting but this time I added some skyr as well for that tang we love + some great protein. But the true KEY to the frosting was whipping some heavy cream and folding it in later for the lightest, airy cream cheese frosting EVER!!

My goal with this Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake was to make it as delicious as possible, but with the added goal of making it a little bit better for you WITHOUT sacrificing on flavor. With a few smart add-ins and mindful recipe developing, I did just that and it came out SO GOOD!!!!

❤️ Why You’ll Love Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake
🍲 Ingredients
👩‍🍳 How to Make Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake
🪄 Tips and Tricks
👝 How to Store Leftovers
🤔 Common Questions
Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe

❤️ Why You’ll Love Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Easy to make recipe. No fancy mixers or equipment (I use a hand mixer for the frosting bc it makes it easier, but it can be done with out.)
It used all natural REAL ingredients = A better for you cake that tastes like any other cake.
All the elements can be prepped ahead. While there a few components to this, the good news is that it can all be made in advance and assembled the day of or before!

A sliced layered cake with yellow sponge, red fruit filling, and white frosting, topped with lemon slices and strawberries, displayed on a glass cake stand.

🍲 Ingredients

All-purpose flour – a classic base for the cake (if you have cake flour though, that also works well!)
Baking powder – for rise
Baking soda – for rise
Kosher salt – because a pinch of salt in sweets are necessary to bring out the flavor
Sugar – just 1 cup for the whole cake + a touch more for the fillings
Lemons – zest & juice…for the cake and lemon curd.
Extra virgin olive oil – I love swapping butter for this powerhouse fat
Eggs + Yolks – whole eggs for the cake, yokes for lemon curd
Plain skyr/greek yogurt – a great way to add some sneaky protein to the cake and frosting! if using greek yogurt, add 1/4 cup more as it’s less dense.

Whole milk – full fat for a rich flavor but can also swap in low-fat or dairy free milk (it may effect the texture.)
Vanilla extract – what’s a cake without it!!

Strawberries – for the compote! Fresh, sweet & tart.

Butter – need a touch for the curd!

Cream Cheese – regular or low-fat, perfect for a balanced frosting.

Powdered Sugar – to blend seemlessly into the frosting .

Heavy cream – the secret to an ultra light and airy cream cheese frosting.

A close-up of chopped strawberries simmering in a pot with bubbling juices, likely being cooked to make jam or preserves.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Strawberry Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another bowl, rub lemon zest into sugar with fingers until fragrant. Whisk in olive oil, then eggs one at a time.
Add skyr, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
Add dry ingredients and fold until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Divide into 2 8 or 9-inch round pans and bake 30–35 min, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks. Cool completely before slicing.

Make the Fillings:

To make the strawberry compote, combine cut strawberries, lemon juice and sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Cook 10–15 minutes until soft and syrupy. Cool completely. (It’ll thicken more as it cools.)
To make the lemon curd, whisk juice, zest, sugar, yolks, cornstarch and salt in a small pot. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5–7 min). Remove from heat, stir in butter until melted. Strain through fine mesh sieve if needed. Chill until thick.
To make the lemon simply syrup, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small pot and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes.

Make the Frosting:

In one bowl, beat the heavy cream until you have stiff peak. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add skyr, vanilla and salt, mix again until creamy.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese base until well incorporated.

Assembly:

Optional: Slice both cakes in half horizontally for 4 layers.
On the first cake layer, brush on the lemon simply syrup then spread a thin layer of lemon curd, then a few spoonfuls of strawberry compote.
Repeat: cake → simply syrup → lemon curd → strawberry → cake.
Frost the sides and top with the skyr cream cheese frosting.
Decorate with fresh strawberries, and lemon wedges, or edible flowers.

Two wrapped cake layers and several plastic containers of labeled ingredients, including cream cheese frosting, lemon curd, and lemon simple syrup, are set on a kitchen counter with appliances and bottles in the background.

🪄 Tips and Tricks

Prep the elements ahead of time! This will make assembly so much easier.
Whip the heavy cream seperately, then fold into the cream cheese base..it makes ALL the difference.
Give the cake a crumb coat. After filling and layering the cake, add a thin coating of frosting and then pop into fridge for at least 30 minutes to set. The go back and add another layer of frosting.

A hand holds a plate with a slice of layered cake filled with strawberry jam and cream, topped with a fresh strawberry. A whole, similarly decorated cake is visible on a table in the background.

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store the leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

🤔 Common Questions

Q: Can I make the cake in advance?

A: Yes! The cake layers can be baked 1–2 days in advance. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Compote, curd, and frosting can also be made ahead and refrigerated.

Q: What kind of olive oil should I use?

A: Use a mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil. Avoid bitter or peppery ones that could overpower the flavor.

Q: Can I use store-bought lemon curd or jam?

A: Absolutely! If you’re short on time, store-bought lemon curd or high-quality strawberry jam can be used instead of homemade versions.

Q: Can I use Greek yogurt instead of skyr?

A: Yes, plain full-fat Greek yogurt is a great substitute for skyr in both the cake and frosting.

Q: Do I have to use the lemon syrup?

A: It’s optional but highly recommended. It adds moisture and a punch of lemon flavor to the layers.