Orange Olive Oil Cake (Easy Recipe) - Olives + Thyme (2024)

I absolutely love baking with olive oil. Olive oil lends such a rich, but light and fruity flavor. My Olive Oil Cookies, Rosemary Olive Oil Cake and Citrus Olive Oil Brownies are just a few of my favorite olive oil recipes on the blog. If you’re a fan of simple cakes with tons of fresh citrus flavor this orange olive oil cake recipe is for you.

• Layers of flavor and textures. One thing I adore about this olive oil orange cake is the depth of flavor. The olive oil creates a beautiful tender, moist and fluffy crumb. The sweet and fresh orange zest, juice and extract bring another layer of bright fruity citrus flavor.
• Easy to make, bake and eat. This orange cake with olive oil tastes like you just bought it from a lovely Italian or mediterranean bakery, but don’t let the bakery worthy flavor and appearance fool you. This olive oil cake is incredibly quick and easy to make. Simply mix, bake, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.

• Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Wet Ingredients: Gather granulated sugar, orange zest, olive oil, eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice and milk. If you would like to top with the cake as pictured, gather powdered sugar and orange slices.

Here are my recommended ingredient substitutions to make this easy olive oil citrus cake if you need them.

• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These both act as leaveners in this olive oil and orange cake.
• Granulated Sugar: This orange cake with olive oil recipe calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this cake refined sugar free. If you decide to use maple sugar, process the sugar in a food processor until the granules of sugar are the consistency of superfine sugar.
• Orange Zest and Juice: Orange pairs so beautifully with olive oil. This is a common flavor combination in spanish, italian and mediterranean baking. I highly recommend using fresh orange zest and freshly squeezed orange juice in this olive oil cake.
• Olive Oil: Use a mild, slightly fruity olive oil for this moist orange olive oil cake. Make sure you like the taste of the olive oil before baking with it, as the taste of the olive oil will come through after baking. I like to use this brand when I bake with olive oil.
• Orange Extract: This is optional, but recommended for the best orange flavor. You can also use an orange liquor like Grand Mariner, for more orange flavor. If using a liquor, replace up to ¼ cup (59 ml) orange juice with this ingredient.
• Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs. Make sure they are room temperature.
• Milk: Use any milk you like. I like to bake with a higher fat milk because the final texture of the cake is more moist and tender.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 9- inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined.
2. In a large mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment, beat the sugar and orange zest together until they are the consistency of wet sand. On low, whisk the eggs and lemon sugar together until all the eggs are combined. Increase the speed to high and whip for 4-5 minutes. The egg and sugar mixture will be thick and light yellow in color. With the mixture on medium speed, stream in the olive oil. Once all the olive oil is streamed in, increase the speed to high for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl as needed. On low, whisk in the orange juice and milk, followed by the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.

What does olive oil do to a cake?

Olive oil makes an excellent replacement for other fats in baking such as other oils and butter. Extra virgin olive oil creates a light, moist and fluffy texture for baked good like this olive oil cake.

What does an olive oil cake taste like?

A cake made with olive oil will have a moist, tender and soft texture. Olive oil will not be the dominate taste, rather a fruity and slightly floral taste will come through. For cakes such as this orange olive oil cake, the taste of the orange really shines.

What kind of olive oil should you use for olive oil cake?

Olive oil is such an important ingredient that you should use the best quality you can afford. For me the most important factor is the taste of the olive oil before it’s baked. I like a light, fruity and mild olive oil for baking cakes.

Other Simple Cake Recipes to Try

• Limoncello Mascarpone Cake
• Almond Cake
• Lemon Ricotta Cake
• Molasses Cake

If you try this Orange Olive Oil Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M

Orange Olive Oil Cake Recipe

Megan

Orange olive oil cake is a deliciously tender and moist olive oil cake infused with bright orange flavor. This olive oil orange cake is made with orange zest and fresh orange juice and has a wonderfully rich and fluffy crumb. Make this citrus olive oil cake anytime you need a simple, but stunning dessert.

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