Orange and Olive Oil Cake
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Made with fresh-squeezed orange juice, orange zest, and olive oil, this orange and olive oil cake is moist and delicious, perfect with coffee or tea, and it tastes better with each passing day — so don’t be afraid to make it in advance.
A recent visit to the Temecula Olive Oil Company’s shop forever changed how I think about olive oil. I learned so many incredible things. In short: the company is awesome, their olive oil is delicious, and, as with all foods it seems, it pays to know your grower.*
I made this cake — a longtime family favorite — using the TOOC’s citrus extra-virgin oil, and never has it tasted so delicious. I didn’t even use fresh-squeezed orange juice (the horror!). As you can see, I baked this batch in my mini springform pans, but a standard 9-inch springform pan works just as well.
This cake puffs up a touch when it bakes, and sinks when it cools. To serve, simply dust it with powdered sugar — it is so moist and flavorful on its own rendering frosting or a glaze unnecessary.
*If you care to learn more about the widespread fraud in the olive oil industry read this: Slippery Business, The New Yorker, August 13, 2007
Orange and Olive Oil Cake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10
Description
A few notes: This cake sinks way down as it cools. Don’t worry. It will still be one of the most delicious cakes you have ever tasted. It is so moist. Also, this is one of those cakes that seems to get better by the day. Don’t be afraid to make it a day early if serving for company.
Optional: Add 2 tablespoons of an orange-flavored liqueur such as Grand Marnier.
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing the pan
- 1 1/2 cups (195 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- 1¾ cups (380 g) sugar
- 2 tsp. grated orange zest
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (the juice from about 2 oranges)
- 2/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter a springform pan (or pans) or a 9-inch cake pan. (If using a cake pan, place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan.)
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until blended, then gradually add in the sugar, beating until thick. The mixture will be pale yellow. In a separate bowl, whisk the zest, juice, and oil. Add to the egg mixture in thirds alternating with the flour mixture.
- Spread batter into the pan and bake for about 60 minutes, checking after 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. It may need more time, so just be patient with the cooking. Cool on rack for at least 15 minutes. Note: This cake rises in the oven and falls way down as it cools — this is normal. The cake still tastes incredibly delicious and moist.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar over top before cutting and serving.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
105 Comments on “Orange and Olive Oil Cake”
Ooh, I’ve had lemon olive oil cake before, and it’s so delightfully moist and light. Yours look beautiful; just lemme get my 10 pounds butter together 😉
I didn’t know that about extra-virgin olive oil (no, I won’t use the acronym); will have to check my labels now, thanks.
Interesting info on the oil! Thanks!
Lovely cake!
When I saw your first picture, I had to do a double take… it looks like something I took out of the oven last night! I’ll blog about that later… it was much different than yours (but it did have olive oil in it!)
Thanks for the story about election day cake. The things you never knew?
And yet another place I’ll have to add to my list of foodie places to visit in SoCal! A trip to Temecula is always a treat if there is wine involved 🙂
I love those mini springform pans – how cute! The cake looks delicious!
Thanks for the tip about the olive oil. I see there’s a Temecula Olive Oil shop in SD so I will have to check it out!
This sounds (and looks) great! I’ve already bookmared Temecula Olive Oil Co in my favorites… going to check them out.
Those are beautiful Alexandra! I love their olive oil. I discovered it when I stopped by their cute little shop in Temecula a couple of months ago. It’s almost too good to cook with (baking excluded) but so good for salads, etc!
This is stunning! Just lovely. I have a cup of tea in my hand and want to reach into the computer and grab a piece! 🙂 And the I love election day cake!
Wow! I didn’t realize that they could get away with labeling the olive oils that way. Thanks for the info!
The cakes look adorable! I need to get some mini springform pans!
Huh. That is good to know about the olive oil and I have been wondering about that since the other night I made some artisan bread and dipped it in “EVOO” and it was just SO bitter nad overpowering. Now I know why! Thanks! Lovely cakes.
thanks for the link to the article. I’ve heard this before, but never had the chance to do the research. All the more reason to buy local!
Thanks
I’m so glad you said that! That’s terrible that I’ve been buying “good” extra virgin olive oil that’s probably just veggie oil and olive oil! Bah Humbug!
And the pirate ship would have freaked me out too…
What wonderful cakes! They must have a delightful flavor! I love their texture…
Cheers,
Rosa
I have always wanted to make an olive oil cake – I even have blood orange olive oil at home, I bet it would be fabulous in this recipe.
I’d never heard of baking cake with olive oil until I started reading food blogs. I definitely need to try this ASAP!
So what’s the difference between using plain olive oil (I don’t have the fancy stuff) and canola oil? I mean, what does the oil do to the cake to make it so special? In other words, if you were to bake two cakes, one with the plain olive oil and one with canola oil, what would the difference be?
Very interesting info on the olive oil—thanks for tipping us off.
-JJ
This cakes look beautiful,they’re perfect. Thanks for the information about the oil oil,I didn’t know that!
Great looking cakes Alexandra! And thanks for info on the olive oil. I am bookmarking this recipe for election night. I have a friend whose birthday is Nov. 4th and she does not like icing on cake and this sounds perfect for her!
What a delicious cake! Thanks for the heads up about olive oil! Good to know!
the debbie downer sketches crack me up. sadly, i’ve never had olive oil cake (or true extra-virgin olive oil, i suspect), but your creations look great. 🙂
I guess you are supposed to have a lot of guests around for the election cake!
Your cakes look absolutely beautiful.
This looks so yummy. It’s good to know about the olive oil.
What interesting news about EVOO, I would love to try the Temecula Oil, I think I’ll order some. The cake sounds divine.
I love the Temecula Olive Oil Company! We visited with my husband and both our parents last spring–a weekend in Temecula–and it was wonderful! Olive Oil tasting, now that was different. We learned a lot, and bought a few bottles too. The citrus olive oil is AWSOME! A little goes a long way and the smell and flavor are just perfect. Good thing they ship since we now live in DC.
The NY Times article I know and one should be skeptical of those cheap bottles of olive oil. I use reg. olive oil for cooking, the x-tra virgin stuff for finishing meals or salads.
I assume you used reg/ olive oil here?
I didn’t know what about olive oil… thanks.
I love the stuff, though. Is drinking it wrong? Cause it’s good for your hair, you know.
Come on! That cake looks amazing!
LOL, I’m not sure I’ll be getting to that old-fashioned election day cake anytime soon. Sounds interesting though.
Your cakes sound and look wonderful. How exciting for you to learn about olive oil and to have a reliable source available.
I will make this tomorrow! (We have company coming over)
This looks wonderful.
I am not surprised about the credibility of olive oil ….claims to be EV. I have gotten so many nasty tasting bottles of EVOO over the years. If we can’t get the Temecula, what brand do you recommend?
And when you say “use olive oil” do you mean the light kind that doesn’t say EV?
Olive oil is sooooooooo good and I can imagine it’s even better with orange! They look lovely!
Olive oil in cake, never tried it…it looks lovely!!