Orange Olive Oil Cake
This Orange Olive Oil Cake recipe is sure to win over anyone who tries it! Filled with fresh orange flavor and a hint of exotic cardamom, this delightful cake is an example of both simplicity and sophistication. The richness from extra virgin olive oil gives this cake a moist texture and an incredibly tender crumb that will make it hard to stop at the first piece. The combination of ingredients elevates this cake to another level.
To learn how to make this delicious olive oil cake recipe, see the printable recipe card below or take a look at the recipe video. For other recipe variations, please visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
Sign up for a free subscription to our monthly newsletter and access to exclusive content.
To browse some of my favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and pantry items, visit the Recommended Products page.
RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below.)
ORANGE OLIVE OIL CAKE
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch non-stick round cake pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Place a fine mesh strainer on top of a medium mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cardamom (optional), and sift dry ingredients into the bowl. Whisk to combine, and aside.
- Using a Microplane zester, zest oranges. Then squeeze fresh orange juice with a juicer, and set aside.
- To a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat eggs for 1 minute (starting on low & slowly increasing to medium speed). With mixer running on medium speed, slowly add sugar a little at a time. Once incorporated, beat for 1 minute until thick and pale in color. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, if needed.
- To a large measuring cup (4 cup), add remaining olive oil, milk, orange juice, and zest, and whisk until well combined. On medium-low speed, slowly add it to the butter/sugar mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Stop mixer, add dry ingredients, then mix on lowest speed until just barely combined (about 10-15 seconds - see Note #2). Scrape bowl again, gently combining remaining flour, then pour batter into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake for about 40 minutes (see Note #3), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place cake pan on a wire cooling rack, and cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully run a knife along the edges of the cake pan to release the cake, then invert pan onto the wire rack, and tap the bottom of the pan a few times to help it release from the cake. Remove the cake pan, and slowly peel off the parchment paper. Allow the cake to cool completely. Just before serving, dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy!
Notes
- This cake recipe has a mild cardamom flavor. If you prefer a stronger cardamom flavor, increase the amount to ¾ teaspoon cardamom. If you don’t like cardamom, simply omit it from the recipe.
- It’s best if a little flour is visible so you don’t overwork the batter. You will gently incorporate the last bits of flour into the batter when you are scraping the bowl.
- Baking times may vary depending on your baking pan and your oven. Bake for about 40 minutes for a very moist crumb. For a slightly drier crumb, bake for about 45 minutes.
- Makes 10 servings.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
340.01Fat (grams)
18.52 gSat. Fat (grams)
2.9 gCarbs (grams)
41.18 gFiber (grams)
0.64 gNet carbs
40.54 gSugar (grams)
27.79 gProtein (grams)
3.53 gSodium (milligrams)
87.04 mgCholesterol (grams)
38.66 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This Orange Olive Oil Cake can be made two ways. Photos 1 and 2 show the cake made based on the recipe. Photos 3 and 4 show the cake with a fresh orange garnish that is baked into the top of the cake. For details on how to make this fresh orange garnish, see the Pimp My Recipe section in the Blog Comments & Tips below.
VIDEO
How to Make this Orange Olive Oil Cake!
Blog Comments & Tips
Tons of flavor in this simple & sophisticated cake!
I am someone who usually loves a rich and decadent cake with lots of frosting. However, this Orange Olive Oil Cake is so incredibly moist and delicious and has such a tender crumb that it has become one of my favorite cakes of all time! The combination of the fresh orange flavor and hint of cardamom (which is optional) truly elevates this cake to another level.
Every January, young students from the Altadena Nursery School hold a fundraiser that is unique from many other schools in our County. This annual fundraiser is usually sponsored by local businesses and individual donors who place orders of fresh fruit with these young students. Fresh oranges and grapefruits are then delivered directly from the grower’s farm and brought to your doorstep by these families in early February. Over 1,500 cases of fruit were sold this year, and the proceeds from this fundraiser were used to support this small co-op nursery school. This is a very welcome and healthy change from the typical candy bar fundraisers to which we have all become accustomed in this area. This year the oranges were so beautiful and fragrant that I had to develop a recipe that would highlight their gorgeous flavor.
This olive oil cake is quite easy to make and is so impressive in flavor and texture, which makes it perfect for entertaining. Although you can make it ahead, it’s best enjoyed on the same day as you bake it. The richness from extra virgin olive oil gives it a very moist texture, but the fresh squeezed orange juice and zest give it that bright and delicious flavor that masks the savory taste of the olive oil. Because it’s so easy to make and the taste is so amazing, you may find yourself making this again and again.
To step up the presentation even more, why not add a fresh orange garnish? Fresh orange slices can be baked in the cake, adding even more moisture to the cake. Because you are leaving the peel on the oranges, it also adds an interesting flavor and texture to each bite, giving it the slightest hint of bitterness that actually complements the flavor of the cake. For details, visit the Pimp My Recipe section below.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 5 tips to making this Orange Olive Oil Cake:
Make this recipe during citrus season, and be sure to use fresh oranges that are sweet and fragrant. If your oranges have a sour taste, I don’t recommend it as they will change the flavor in this recipe.
Use a good quality, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. I prefer the flavors of 100% Italian or Spanish extra virgin olive oils. Some great options from Italy are Colonna Classic Italian extra virgin olive oil or Kirkland 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil. I also like using La Tourangelle organic extra virgin olive oil from Spain.
Using a stand mixer speeds up the process of making the batter, as well as results in a better cake texture.
Make sure not to overwork the batter when you add the dry ingredients. It’s important to mix it only until most of the flour has been absorbed (about 10-15 seconds on the lowest speed). Then just gently mix in the visible flour that is remaining on the bowl. This will help keep the cake very tender.
To keep that light, tender, and moist crumb, don’t over bake the cake. Baking times may vary depending on your oven and which cake pan you use. If your oven runs hot, then you may want to test for doneness at the 35 minute mark. Either way, this cake is perfect as soon as you are able to insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Top with Fresh Oranges: Although optional, arranging orange slices in a concentric circle creates a lovely presentation for this cake. Before you prepare the batter, thinly slice 1 large orange in ⅛ inch thick slices. Then arrange the slices in a single layer in a concentric circle in the bottom of the cake pan (on top of the parchment paper), then pour the batter into the pan (directly over the orange slices). This will make the cake a bit more moist, so you might have to bake it a little longer (closer to 45 minutes). Once completely cool, finish with a dusting of powdered sugar. If you don’t like the texture of orange peel, then simply make the recipe as directed in the recipe card.
Don’t Like Cardamom? This is an easy fix! Just omit the cardamom from this recipe. The cake will have a bright orange flavor that I’m sure you’ll love.
LOVE the Taste of Cardamom? This cake recipe has a mild cardamom flavor. If you prefer a stronger cardamom flavor, increase the amount to ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom. You will still taste the orange and this amount of cardamom will be just enough to elevate the flavor of the cake.
Top it with a Glaze: For an extra orangey flavor, instead of topping it with powdered sugar, finish it with an orange glaze. Once the cake is completely cool, just drizzle with my Quick Orange Glaze! This glaze will punch up the orange flavor even more, and it will add quite a bit of sweetness to the cake.
Other Great Orange Recipes: For other great orange recipes that taste amazing with my Quick Orange Glaze, try my Glazed Orange Cranberry Bread or Chai Spice Bundt Cake recipes!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Baking!
Mich
Footnote: For a tender crumb, remember to be gentle when mixing the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. It only takes 10-15 seconds on the lowest speed of a stand mixer.
Adapted from the Olive Oil Orange Cake recipe by farmfreshtoyou.com. The base recipe was delicious, but needed a few tweaks to make it extra special. So I changed up some of the quantities, added a couple of ingredients, and changed the preparation technique and baking times to yield an even more moist and tender crumb.
Every editorial product is independently selected. I may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you purchase products via these links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
