Our olive oil cake is fragrant, delicious, and bright yellow, like the Greek sun. With lemon juice and zest, delicate extra virgin olive oil, and a hint of vanilla, it is an easy-to-make yet beautiful and sophisticated dessert.
If you’re a fan of our delicious Olive Oil Cake, you’re in for a treat with our Portokalopita dessert, Lemon Ginger Tart, and Yogurt Cake!
Overview
Why this recipe sings
Here is what you need
- Extra virgin olive oil— Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Avoid blends, no matter how tempting the price. Choose a Greek, Italian, or Spanish extra virgin olive oil at a sensible price. You are worth it!
- Lemons— For the zest and juice. You may use other citrus fruits like Meyer lemons, oranges and limes.
- Vanilla bean pod— or vanilla extract.
- Eggs, sugar and all-purpose flour.
- Whole milk—You can substitute it with cashew or almond milk.
- Sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step How to make it
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper. Brush olive oil on the parchment and dust the pan with flour, shaking out any excess.
- Whisk the eggs with the olive oil.
- Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.
- Zest and juice four medium lemons. Add the lemon zest and juice.
- Add the milk and vanilla bean pod seeds and whisk to combine.
- Whisk the flour, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the flour. Gradually pour the egg mixture into it. Slowly whisk with circular motions to incorporate the egg mixture and flour until it is mostly smooth (it is ok to have some lumps).
- Pour the cake mixture into the pan. Smooth the surface and sprinkle the remaining two teaspoons of sugar on top.
- Bake cake until the top is golden brown, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
- After baking, transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, use a knife to run around the edges to loosen the sides of the pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a plate, then flip it back onto the rack to allow it to cool completely.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this olive oil cake with whipped cream or creamy vanilla ice cream.
Storage
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
You may also like
olive oil guide
Everything You Wanted To Know About Olive Oil
Olive oil is an essential ingredient in the Greek cuisine. Greece is one of the largest producers of olive oil in the world. Learn a bit of its history, harvest, production, and how to choose the right olive oil for your recipes.
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Olive Oil Cake
Our olive oil cake is fragrant, delicious, and bright yellow, like the Greek sun. With lemon juice and zest, delicate extra virgin olive oil, and a hint of vanilla, it is dense and very moist and will remind you of a cheesecake.
Equipment
- 11" diameter springform pan
- Citrus Juicer
- Microplane Grater
- Parchment paper
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil look for premium extra virgin olive oil, best used raw for salads etc
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 4 lemons medium size
- 1 vanilla bean pod
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar and a little extra
- 2 cups organic all-purpose flour 250 gr
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Zest and juice four medium lemons. Brush a little olive oil all over the pan. Next, line the bottom with a round parchment paper and brush the parchment with oil.
- Whisk eggs, 1 cup of oil, and 1¼ cups sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla bean pod seeds, and the lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine.
- Whisk the flour, sea salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and gradually pour the egg mixture into it. Slowly whisk with circular motions to incorporate the egg mixture and flour until it is mostly smooth (it is ok to have some lumps). Pour the cake mixture into the pan. Smooth the surface and sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar on top.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Every oven is different so check often and bake a little longer if needed. Cover top with aluminum foil if it is browning too soon.Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool before unmolding.
Notes
Pay attention to the egg temperature. Let the eggs reach room temperature. They will emulsify with the olive oil very nicely when whisked together.
Choose a good quality olive oil. When shopping, always pick extra virgin. For this recipe, ideally go for a premium mild-tasting extra virgin olive oil that is best enjoyed raw over vegetables, fish, etc.
For a budget-friendly option, reduce the amount of extra virgin olive oil to ½ of a cup and add ½ cup vegetable oil.
Substitutions
- You can use any citrus fruit you like, meyer lemons, oranges, limes, etc.
- Substitute plant-based milk for whole milk. You can substitute any milk alternative for milk in a 1:1 ratio. Almond and cashew milk are the best. But some options, like hemp milk or coconut milk, are not great because they will dominate the flavor of he cake.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 4gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 285mgPotassium: 72mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 101IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
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