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. Here are 11 more ways to use it!
- 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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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.
Made this yesterday and took it to a book club bake off and it won 1st place! It is as delicious as it looks and very easy to make.
Yesss! LOVE that, Diana!
Fantastic Culinary Guidelines.
Thank you, Suzy.
Warmest greetings.
Helena
I’ve made this twice and its been a hit with guests. Perfect to bring to a dinner party because it is so simple and travels well. I have garnished with pomegranate seeds, a little sprig of mint and a dollop of creme fraiche. Made it in two different ovens at 350 and I’ve found that it has needed extra time in both ovens to cook through. Thank you Suzy for this excellent recipe.
While it is delicious, I had too much batter for the 9in cake pan, so it domed HEAVILY and took much longer to bake. I turned the oven down to 325 because it was starting to get a lil too dark on top and still raw in the middle. Next time, I’d separate it into two pans.
Easy and delicious. The hint of Orange is terrific.
100% will make again!
Would this work with gluten free 1-to-1 flour?
Hi, Mary. This will work with 1:1 gluten free flour, it will just be a bit more crumbly than usual. Still very yummy, though!
This cake turned out so well and was a huge hit!! Can fresh cranberries be added to this recipe?
Sure, Aparna! That should work!
I would welcome any recipe you could make that is Paleo – free of all preservatives like white flour and granulated sugar. Shirley R.
Hi, Shirley! Thank you so much for your feedback!
Shirley, I have a lot of diet restrictions. I made this with ground oats and honey. I put in some Stevia as well to less than the amount of honey. Otherwise, do 2/3 of the amount of sugar that’s needed. I hope that helps! Everybody loved it.
Thanks so much for sharing, Cathy!!
I made a slight change to this recipe by making a glaze with the powdered sugar, remaining zest and remaining juice from the two oranges and pouring it over the top and sides of the cake. I liked the effect. Great cake!
Sounds delish, Jenn! Thank you so much for sharing!
What would the cooking time and temperature be if I wanted to make this in a bundt pan?
Hi, Jessica. While we have not tested this in a bundt pan, another reader had success making it this way. It sounds like it should work pretty much as-is… maybe with a bit more time in the oven. If you give this a try, please stop back and share your thoughts!
I’ve made this cake multiple times, it’s AMAZING and is my regular go to dessert for family dinners. I add a bit more cardamom (we love the flavor combination of orange and cardamom).Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
I have made this cake once already. I found the cook times to be a little off for me, but considered it an oven thing. I had no trouble with the 9 inch pan. I did candied oranges to go on top, but found that to be a bit labor intensive for me. However, I was lucky to get a crumb of this cake as the family snarfed it up so quickly. So I will make it again.
Thanks, Nina!
I made this cake today snd it turned out great just I think 9 inch pan is small. I used 2 pans.
I’ve made this cake 3 times. A number of people have commented that the amount of batter is too much for a 9″ cake pan and that it doesn’t cook in the amount of time specified. I agree. My solution is to bake the cake for 55 minutes in a springform pan with aluminum foil beneath it on case the batter leaks ( mine didn’t leak).
If you’re going to make this cake in advance, is it best to store at room temperature? In an airtight container? Or in the fridge? Thanks for the help!
Hi, Andy! You can store it covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also keep it in the fridge if you prefer and it will keep a day or two longer. Just make sure you bring it to room temp before enjoying your next slice.
I ended up with enough for two 9 inch round pans. It was completely undercooked but it was burning on the top.
Oh, no! I’m so sorry, Mack! A few things may have contributed to this. Your oven might be running hotter than the set temperature. Many ovens can be off by 25°F (or more) from what they display. Use an oven thermometer to verify and adjust accordingly. If it’s too hot, reduce the baking temperature by 25°F and extend the baking time slightly. Also, cakes should ideally be baked in the center of the oven for even heat distribution. If it was too close to the top, the surface may burn while the interior stays undercooked. Place the rack in the middle for future bakes. Finally, if the top of the cake is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over the cake midway through baking. This prevents the top from burning while allowing the center to continue baking. Hope you give the recipe another try!