This orange olive oil cake recipe bursts with sunny flavors of bright orange and fragrant cardamom! Extra virgin olive oil makes this simple cake irresistibly fluffy and tender for days.
We use oranges liberally during citrus season in the Mediterranean, both in sweet and savory recipes. However, one of my favorite ways to use them is in this orange olive oil cake.
I love this recipe so much that I included it in my first cookbook, and I had to share it with you here. I’ll say it: making cake with olive oil, in my opinion, is just better! I love the richness it gives to so many desserts, from this orange cake, to apple cake, chocolate cake, and beyond.
This is not your typical super sweet icing-topped cake. It’s the perfect fusion of bright, delicately sweet, and savory flavors, with subtle warm notes from the cardamom. And, because olive oil is liquid at room temperature, this cake stays moist for days. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This orange olive oil cake requires just a few baking staples. Here’s everything you’ll need to bring it to life:
- Extra virgin olive oil: Good quality, fruity or more neutral-tasting olive oil like our Italian Nocellara is perfect in this cake. Avoid oils that are peppery or bitter, as they’ll overwhelm the flavor.
- All purpose flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour alternative if needed. Your cake will be slightly more dense but just as scrumptious!
- Kosher salt: A crucial flavor enhancer, bringing out the natural taste of the rest of the ingredients.
- Baking powder: Used in combination with baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar is my go-to here to magnify the sweetness of the orange.
- Ground cardamom: Cardamom is a fairly warm spice with subtle lemony undertones that pair beautifully with orange.
- Eggs: Provide structure.
- Orange: Both orange zest and orange juice are used for an utterly irresistible recipe. You could experiment with other citrus, like meyer lemons.
- Milk: Use whole milk or a plant-based alternative to create a smooth batter.
- Confectioner’s sugar: Also called powdered sugar, this is optional but will make the cake extra pretty.
How to Make Orange Olive Oil Cake
This orange olive oil cake recipe is extremely simple, there are no fancy techniques or equipment required! Here are the steps:
- Get ready: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with a little olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and dust with a bit of flour, shaking out the excess.
- Mix together dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
- Beat the wet ingredients with sugar: To a large bowl, add 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 3 large eggs, and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer set on high, beat the mixture until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a stand mixer on high speed). While the mixer is running, slowly drizzle in 1 cup extra virgin olive oil and beat until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 1/4 cups whole milk, and the zest of 1 orange. Beat until smooth.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low just until you have a uniform batter.
- Bake the cake: Pour the cake batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (ovens do vary, so check your cake at 30 minutes and go from there).
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then run a small knife around the edge, invert the cake onto a large plate, then invert again onto a rack to cool completely.
- Finish and serve. Dust the cake with powdered sugar, sprinkle with the remaining orange zest, slice, and enjoy!
Why Use Olive Oil in Cake?
Many readers ask me if you can bake with olive oil. The short answer is: Yes! You can–and should–bake cakes with olive oil. (For a deeper dive, check out our Comprehensive Guide to Baking With Olive Oil.) Here’s why I love olive oil desserts:
- Makes cakes extra tender for longer than butter. Because olive oil is liquid at room temperature, it adds unmatched levels of moisture to cake over time.
- Reduces the amount of saturated fat. It replaces that fat with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. This can improve cholesterol, among other benefits listed here.
- Adds a more complex flavor. High-quality extra virgin olive oil adds a rich, slightly fruity flavor to this recipe without being overbearing.
What to Serve with Orange Olive Oil Cake
Although this olive oil cake is fantastic as is a little something extra can really bring out the wow factor! Sometimes, I just can’t help myself!
- Add a dollop of whipped cream or a small scoop of olive oil ice cream.
- A spoonful of vanilla yogurt.
- Top with orange segments.
- Top with candied orange peels or sugared cranberries for a festive twist! Yum!
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Orange Olive Oil Cake with Cardamom
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, fruity, more neutral-tasting, plus extra for the pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 ½ cups plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Grated zest of 2 oranges, plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk or plant-based alternative
- 2 tablespoons sifted confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare the baking pan: Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with a little olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and dust with a bit of the flour, shaking out the excess.
- Mix together dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Beat the wet ingredients with sugar: In a large bowl, combine the 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, cardamom, and eggs. Using an electric hand mixer set on high, beat the mixture until thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a stand mixer on high speed). While the mixer is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and beat until incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add half the orange zest, the orange juice, and milk. Beat until smooth.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix on low just until you have a uniform batter.
- Bake the cake: Pour the cake batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Bake the cake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the center is set and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (ovens do vary, so check your cake at 30 minutes and go from there).
- Cool the cake: Allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then run a small knife around the edge, invert the cake onto a large plate, then invert again onto a rack to cool completely.
- Serve: Before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar and sprinkle with orange zest.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead. Olive oil keeps cakes tender and moist for longer, which makes this recipe an easy choice for holiday menu planning. Make it a day or to in advance and it will still taste fresh when your guests arrive.
- Olive oil is truly wonderful in baking recipes, but you want to use the right kind because olive oil is as nuanced as wine. You want something mild and fruity for this cake like our California Arbequina olive oil. Stay away from spicy or peppery flavors like our Spanish Hojiblanca olive oil. I prefer to use that in more savory dishes.
- Swap it. If you don’t have cardamom on hand try cinnamon. It’s a natural pairing with orange. You can try it in our Orange Cinnamon Challah French Toast recipe.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, spices, and more.
Nutrition
Try Our Authentic Italian Olive Oil
Smooth, fruity, and rich, this hand-picked and cold-extracted oil is perfect for baking.
*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.
Just made this today and it is so good! Easy to make and the flavor is wonderful. Only comment is in the directions steps 3 and 4 both say to add the cardamom. I watched the video and followed that but just an FYI.
Thanks for catching that, Christina! It’s been corrected.
The flavor and texture of this cake were amazing. I did notice a pooled layer of olive oil within the cake. Not sure where I went wrong but other than looking odd it didn’t effect the cake itself. Is that normal?
I made this for a Christmas brunch with friends. I served it with a cranberry orange sauce and whipped cream. The middle was a little undercooked so next time I’ll bake it in a 10 inch pan. It was so delicious and everyone wanted the recipe. I’ll make this again for sure.
Making this for Christmas. I never use zest because I don’t like orange peel. Has anyone tried making it without the zest?
This cake looks fabulous, especially for the holidays. Can it be made ahead and frozen?
Sure, Elaine! When you’re ready to eat it, just thaw in the fridge overnight. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and he loved it and so did the rest of the family! I love all your receipes that I have made so far. You are an amazing cook and I love your humor too. Thank you so much. 🙂
Thanks so much, Marge!
Can I leave this on the kitchen counter for a day or two? It’s the orange cardamom olive oil cake and it is delicious!
Absolutely!
This cake was a hit with my family and co workers! It is soooo delicious!! And so easy to make!
Glad to hear it, Melissa! Thank you so much!
Did anyone else find there was too much batter for a 9 inch cake pan?
Literally one of the best cakes I’ve ever had – such a great texture, and the flavor is slightly sweet, fruity from the orange and olive oil, and spicy (I substituted cinnamon and ginger for the cardamom). Really well balanced, and I’m excited to make it for the holidays!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah!
Would love to try this but being intolerant to sugar is there any alternatives i could use?
Hi, Nicola. We haven’t tested this using a sugar alternative, but many readers have commented that a handful work well with our apple olive oil cake, so they might be worth a try here: stevia, Splenda, guava, honey, etc. If you give any of these a try, would you please come back and let us know how it went?
Susie- the video and the directions are different. Your directions place the cardamom with the dry ingredients, and the video with the wet. Also, just wondering why you flour the parchment paper. I’m sure it doesn’t make a difference where the cardamom is placed, but I’m sure you would like the recipe to match the video.
The flavor is amazing. I made it with a 1:1 gluten free substitute flour and almond milk and it is delicious. It rose a lot more than I anticipated and I did increase the cooking time by a total of 10 minutes (convection oven on regular “bake” setting, cake pan in a jelly roll pan). I’ll be making this often!
Thanks for sharing, Linda!
Thank you for posting your alternative ingredients.
Our pleasure, Gisele. Glad you found that helpful.
This cake seems to be quite high in fat and cholesterol. I thought Mediterranean cooking was heart healthy?
Hi, Leah. In general, Mediterranean cooking is quite healthy, but there are things, such as desserts, in every type of cuisine that will be a bit more indulgent. And just a bit of a disclaimer about our website, while all of our recipes are Mediterranean inspired, not every single one follows the guidelines of the “Mediterranean Diet”. We have indicated those that do, though, on our site.
Hi Suzy,
I’d love to try your olive oil cake recipe. But I can’t measure flour by volume. Could you please give equivalent in grams? I am sure lots of your fans will truly appreciate it and bake the cake without any hesitation once they have exact amounts of flour and sugar that go into the cake.
Thanks a bunch for sharing your awesome recipes with us ❣
Hi, Irina. Thanks for reaching out. I’m so sorry we don’t have metric measurements for this recipe available. We do try to add them when we can, but we just haven’t found the right metric conversion tool for every recipe on our website quite yet. It’s something we’re working on solving. In the meantime, there are several online conversation calculators out there you might find helpful, such as this one.
I completely agree: MUST have metric measurements for all recipes in the world! Thanks for trying do that for yours.
I would love to make this but can’t have the sugar. Could I substitute with something?
Hi, Lavinia. A sugar substitute, such as stevia, might work here. We have not tested this recipe with a substitute, so I can’t help with a conversion, but if you’ve previously used something like that in place of sugar in baking, it should work.
Absolutely delicious!! I tried this recipe from your new cookbook that I got for myself for my Birthday in September!! I use your recipes from the book and your website almost every day!! It’s amazing how every single recipe that you have is always sooo perfect!! Thank you so much for everything you do!! ~ Heather
Thank YOU, Heather :).