Preheat the oven to 350°F for non-convection ovens. Then spray and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Zest the lemon into the sugar and massage the zest into the sugar to release some of the oils that help flavor the sugar. Allow to sit while scaling the remaining ingredients.

Add the eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk to break up the protein. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour the olive oil into the eggs. Whisk until fully emulsified.

Add the sugar and zest and whisk until fully combined. Followed by the lemon juice and milk.

Then add the flour mixture to the bowl and whisk until combined and few lumps remain. Don’t over-whisk the batter. You don’t want to develop the gluten and create tunnels in the cake.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown and the center springs back when pressed lightly. It is essential that it is fully baked, or it will fall in the center. You can also test it with a cake tester, inserting it into the center of the cake; you want it to come out clean.

This cake is extra moist, so I don’t open the oven door for 30 minutes. This ensures the crumb has time to set before it is jostled.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pans before turning it out onto a cooling rack or cake stand.