Olive oil cake is the perfect dessert if you're craving something sweet but don't have a lot of time. It's a simple cake made by whipping eggs and sugar with olive oil and flavorings and then adding a flour mixture with buttermilk powder as the secret, tangy ingredient. 
If this is your first time making olive oil cake, prepare yourself for a cake that's not too sweet and has a hint of olive oil flavor. The bright and fresh lemon flavor really comes through, and the powdered sugar on top gives just a hint of sweetness.
Olive Oil Cake Ingredients
Olive oil is obviously key to an olive oil cake, so you want to use good quality oil. Technically, it would also work to use canola or vegetable oil, but you won't get that rich flavor as you would from extra-virgin olive oil.
Buttermilk powder adds a little bit of tang to this recipe. It also adds lightness to the cake and helps lead to a better texture.
Lemon zest is optional, but you'd be surprised how much citrus flavor can come from zest alone. Orange zest or other flavorings would also be yummy.
Making the Lemon Olive Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat an 8" cake pan with cake goop or parchment paper. You can also use a springform pan or loaf pan if you prefer, just adjust the baking time.
- Mix the eggs and granulated sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed and mix until it's light in color and fluffy.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil in between the whisk blades and the side of the bowl and mix until combined.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and add the water, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, then mix until combined.
- Add the flour, buttermilk powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk it to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing on low, and mix until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread out the top with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes until it's golden brown and a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you're making it ahead, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until you're ready to serve.
- Place the cake on a serving plate and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. I put a little paper heart in the center to make this fun pattern. You can also top it with fresh lemons, lemon curd, or fresh berries.
- Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can refrigerate it if you'd like, but this cake tastes best at room temperature.
FAQ
Yes, this is such an easy recipe to customize! You can switch out the zest and extract for any flavorings that you like.
Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils you can have, so it's already a better choice than most cakes. You can also substitute the sugar for monk fruit or another alternative sugar option.
Fresh fruit and powdered sugar are the perfect, light toppings for an olive oil cake. It doesn't need anything heavy like buttercream, but whipped cream frosting, lemon curd, or ice cream would also pair nicely.
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Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8" x 2" cake pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 lemon zest
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ cup buttermilk powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat an 8" cake pan with cake goop or parchment paper. You can also use a springform pan or loaf pan if you prefer, just adjust the baking time.
- Mix the eggs and granulated sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed and mix until it's light in color and fluffy.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil in between the whisk blades and the side of the bowl and mix until combined.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and add the water, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, then mix until combined.
- Add the flour, buttermilk powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and whisk it to combine.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients while mixing on low, and mix until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread out the top with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes until it's golden brown and a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you're making it ahead, wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until you're ready to serve.
- Place the cake on a serving plate and dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. I put a little paper heart in the center to make this fun pattern. You can also top it with fresh lemons, lemon curd, or fresh berries.
- Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. You can refrigerate it if you'd like, but this cake tastes best at room temperature.
Notes
- Use a good quality extra-virgin olive oil. Technically canola or vegetable oil would work, but you won't get the same flavor.
- Fresh fruit and powdered sugar are the perfect, light toppings for an olive oil cake. It doesn't need anything heavy like buttercream, but whipped cream frosting, lemon curd, or ice cream would also pair nicely.
- Make your own pan release (cake goop!) The best pan release ever!
- Use a scale to weigh your ingredients for the most accurate recipe. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe.
- Practice Mise en Place (everything in its place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
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