About This Orange Olive Oil Cake
Orange olive oil cake is a unique, sophisticated dessert cake recipe that’s guaranteed to impress! The cake is light, moist, and incredibly flavorful. Fresh orange zest and juice brings out the olive oil’s citrusy and floral notes. Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt combines with the olive oil to create a buttery cake.
And the best part? This cake comes together really quickly! The recipe uses only two bowls and instructs the baker to mix everything by hand with a whisk and spatula.
For more quick and easy cake recipes on Hummingbird High, check out my Cake Recipe collection! Popular recipes include this Bouncy Chewy Gluten Free Ube Mochi Cake and Soft and Fluffy Snickerdoodle Cake.
A big thank you to Land O’Lakes for sponsoring this recipe. Learn more in the blog post, and thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep Hummingbird High up and running!
Why You Should Make The Recipe
This orange olive oil cake is a unique, sophisticated dessert recipe.
I’m not going to lie—the first time I ever heard of olive oil in a dessert recipe, I was weirded out! I was living in San Francisco, a few blocks away from a famous ice cream shop. The ice cream shop was known for unique flavors like “bourbon and cornflake” and “olive oil.”
I was reluctant to try the olive oil ice cream for a long time. I was convinced that olive oil only belonged in savory recipes! But my roommate was obsessed with it and eventually convinced me to give it a try. Instantly, I realized I was wrong to be reluctant. It was delicious! The olive oil paired beautifully with the cream, helping tamp down its sweetness and intensity.
Since then, I’ve seen olive oil desserts pop up here and there. Olive oil ice cream is now sold at multiple ice cream shops. I also see plenty of recipes for olive oil cookies and loaf cakes online. And finally, my favorite Sicilian bakery in town sells generous slices of olive oil cake topped with whipped ricotta—that’s what inspired today’s cake!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make this cake, here’s your shopping list for the recipe:
Shopping List
- Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
- olive oil
- granulated sugar
- oranges
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- whole milk
- large eggs
- orange-flavored liqueur
And let’s talk about key ingredients and their potential substitutions:
Ingredient Sources and Substitutions
- Butter. Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt comes in a tub and is made with only 3 ingredients: sweet cream, olive oil, and salt. The olive oil keeps it spreadable straight from the refrigerator! The olive oil also gives the butter a subtle olive oil flavor that works really well in this cake recipe. By using Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt AND olive oil, you get the best of both worlds: the flavor of butter AND olive oil.
- Olive Oil. Most olive oil bottles have tasting notes for the olive oil on their label. Look for something with a mild, citrusy, and floral flavor. I recommend an extra-virgin olive oil. Avoid ones that are umami or salty—you’re making a cake with this olive oil, after all!
- All-Purpose Flour. You can use a 1-1 gluten free all purpose flour replacer to make the recipe gluten free. I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Flour Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt is the best salt for baking recipes; learn more in this post. But if you don’t have any on hand, you can use table salt. Just use half the amount listed in the recipe!
- Whole Milk. You can also use skim, low-fat, or non-fat milk. However, whole milk has the best taste. You can also use plant-based milks like almond, oat, or soy. Just note that strongly flavored plant-based milks will make the cake taste like them, too.
Can I use another kind of oil to make the cake?
Technically, yes, you can use another kind of oil to make this cake. But I don’t recommend it at all. Why? The olive oil imparts this cake with its flavor, making it taste specifically like olive oil. If you use another kind of oil—especially a neutral tasting one like canola or vegetable—the cake will turn out bland!
In a pinch, you can use another flavored oil like unrefined coconut oil. However, your cake will no longer be an orange olive oil cake. Instead, it will be an orange coconut cake. 😜
How To Make Orange Olive Oil Cake
Here are the basic steps to make orange olive oil cake from scratch:
- Prep the ingredients for the cake. (Prep Time: 10 minutes)
This recipe needs a little bit more prep time than other cakes. Specifically, you need to zest an orange and squeeze its juice. You also need to melt the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Other than that, everything else is pretty easy—simply measure out all the ingredients and ensure that they’re at the temperatures needed for the recipe! - Prep the 10-inch cast-iron skillet for the cake. (Prep Time: <5 minutes)
For this recipe, go the extra mile and prep your pan with olive oil! Pour a teaspoon of olive oil in the center of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Use a pastry brush to brush the bottom and sides of the pan with olive oil. - Make the cake batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
This cake comes together REALLY easily. First, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingers. Doing so infuses the sugar with oils from the zest, creating an extra flavorful cake! Then, mix the sugar together with flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. After that, whisk together the milk, Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, olive oil, eggs, orange-flavored liqueur, and orange juice in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. That’s it! - Bake the cake. (Bake Time: 55 minutes)
The cake needs to bake for 55 to 60 minutes. When done, the top of the cake should bounce back when gently pressed with your finger. A skewer inserted into the cake should come out with only a few crumbs attached.
Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ
Help! I don’t have a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. What else can I use to make the orange olive oil cake?
You can also make this recipe in a 9-inch round cake pan, or a 10-inch round springform pan. There’s no need to change the recipe’s Bake Time in either case.
However, let me warn you: this cake makes a LOT of batter. So if you’re using a 9-inch cake pan, use one that has sides that are AT LEAST 3 inches tall. Two inches won’t be enough to contain this cake as it rises—the batter will likely overflow and spill onto the bottom of your oven.
If you don’t have a 9-inch cake pan with 3 inch sides, opt for a 10-inch springform cake pan. Springform cake pans tend to have taller sides!
Help! My cake batter looks super lumpy. What did I do wrong?
The cake batter should be smooth like traditional cake batter made in a stand mixer. It shouldn’t be lumpy at all. However, it can turn out that way if you used cold ingredients. Make sure to use ingredients at the temperatures they are listed at in the recipe! That means using milk and eggs that are at room temperature.
Alternatively, you may have used melted butter that’s too hot! If you use the butter when it’s too hot and add it to eggs, the eggs could potentially scramble and cause lumps. Make sure to use butter that’s melted and slightly cool. You should be able to stick your finger in the butter without feeling discomfort. Instead, it should feel like a warm, relaxing bath.
How did you get the grid pattern in your confectioners’ sugar?
Great question! To get the grid pattern on top of my cake, I placed a wire rack (yes, the same one I used to cool the cake!) on top of the skillet with the cake. Then, I sifted confectioners’ sugar over everything. I then carefully lifted the wire rack off the skillet. Doing so leaves behind the pretty grid pattern you see on my orange olive oil cake!
Can you freeze orange olive oil cake?
Yes! You can freeze orange olive oil cake after baking.
To freeze the cake, wrap the entire thing (or any individual slices leftover) in two layers of plastic wrap. Then, wrap in a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the cake from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. If serving the entire cake, place the cake on the counter for 1 to 2 hours to let it come to room temperature. If serving slices, rewarm in the microwave before serving.
Best Recipe Tips
Ingredient Tip
- I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating: the olive oil you use matters. Many olive oil bottles describe their taste on their labels. Use an olive oil that is mild in flavor, with citrus, floral, and grassy tasting notes. Avoid olive oils infused with umami herbs and spices like garlic and rosemary. You’re making a cake after all!
Technique Tip
- The Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt needs to be melted and cooled slightly before using in the recipe. I recommend melting it first, then setting it aside while you prep the rest of the ingredients and make the cake batter. Doing so will give it enough time to cool slightly!
Serving Tip
- This orange olive oil cake is best the day it’s made, served warm from the oven. It will be light, fluffy, and mild in flavor. The cake is still good overnight—in fact, its olive oil flavor will get more pronounced—but tends to get greasier and heavier the longer it sits.
Get the Recipe: Orange Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For Assembly
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the Orange Olive Oil Cake
- 1 ¾ cups (12.25 ounces or 347 grams) granulated sugar
- zest of 1 medium orange
- 2 cups (9 ounces or 255 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups (10 ounces or 283 grams) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 (7-ounce) tub Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, melted and cooled slightly
- ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) olive oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams) orange-flavored liqueur
- ¼ cup (2 ounces or 57 grams) freshly squeezed orange juice
For Garnish
- confectioners' sugar
- orange slices
Equipment
- a 10-inch cast-iron skillet
Instructions
For the Orange Olive Oil Cake
- Make the cake batter. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar—this will infuse the sugar with oils from the zest. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, olive oil, eggs, orange-flavored liqueur, and orange juice. Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top.
- Bake the cake. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake bounces back when gently pressed and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve and store. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and orange slices before serving. The orange olive oil cake can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. After that, refrigerate for up to 2 more days.
get new recipes via email:
buy the book
Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
Are there any particular brands of olive oil that you recommend? I read your other olive oil cake recipe and unfortunately it’s about 2 hours from where I live just to the Trader Joe’s. There is a Safeway and Fred Meyer’s only an hour away though.
Oh! Do you live close to a Whole Foods? I love their generic 365 EVOO and it’s cheap for the quality/amount you get! It’s like 6.99 for a huge bottle of high-quality olive oil.
Hi Michelle, I really enjoy your writing, and I support you through Patreon. I made the Orange Olive Oil cake last night, using a new, high-quality springform pan. What a leaky disaster! Luckily I placed a pizza pan underneath it. The batter is simply too liquidy to bake in such a pan, regardless of how tight the seal might be. Also, the LOL butter ingredient is a bit confusing. I purchased a 13 oz tub – the only one at the store – so when I was making the recipe, I wasn’t sure if you meant a tub, or 7 oz…. I melted half, and it was, indeed, 7 fluid oz, so that was fine. While the cake is delicious, I agree that it’s a bit greasy. I would reduce the fat content next time I make it.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that it leaked. I tested the cake batter in this “leakproof” spring form pan: https://rstyle.me/+aa025yi3FZes9AOuC3wV6w and it worked. I just assumed it would work in a regular spring form pan too, but I guess not! I’ll update the post soon to reflect your experience!
Oh this sounds great! I’ve made a few olive oil cakes but haven’t added orange. I’ll have to try it next. Thanks!
Hi! Would I be able to use stick butter instead? If so, how much would I use? Thank you! This recipe looks so good!
Hi!
I would actually replace the tub butter with the same amount of olive oil. You’ll get a stronger flavored cake that way! For reference, check out this recipe: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2014/12/olive-oil-citrus-cake.html It’s actually pretty similar to this one, but uses all olive oil instead of butter.