Orange Olive Oil Cake

This delicious Orange Olive Oil Cake is so full of flavor. The delicate balance of citrus paired with rosemary gives this dessert a special place at the dinner table, but it also makes a delicious breakfast.

Olive Oil cake dates back hundreds of years to the Mediterranean, where oil has always been the most popular choice for baking. It gives recipes a lighter texture and keeps desserts moist. Today, many chefs and home cooks choose olive oil instead of butter because of its health benefits.

Try some of our other desserts made with olive oil, and we’re betting you’ll agree it makes a difference in flavor and texture. A couple of our favorites are this healthy coffee cake and brownie-bottom Nutella bars.

Why We Love This Orange Olive Oil Cake

What You Need To Make It

Key Ingredients

• All purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Fresh rosemary
• Fresh orange juice and zest
• Olive oil

Scroll to the bottom to see the full list of ingredients and instructions.

How to Make Orange Olive Oil Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Zest and juice oranges. Chop rosemary. Set aside.

Grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper round.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped rosemary in a large bowl, stirring to combine. 

Using a large spoon, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients of oil, oat milk, orange juice, and orange zest to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, immediately placing it in the oven so the orange juice and baking soda don’t start to react.

Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes. It should be golden brown on the edges. Insert a toothpick in the center to ensure it is fully baked. It should come out clean.

Let the cake cool while still in the pan for at least 30 minutes before you move it to a wire rack for cooling.

To make the icing, combine the orange juice with confectioners’ sugar until it’s smooth and pourable.

Beginning at the top, pour the icing over the top of the cake. It may help to tilt the cake to get an even spread of the icing around the top. The icing will drip down and cover most of the sides of the cake.

Let the cake cool and set completely before cutting. This recipe serves 8-10 slices.

Variations & Substitutions

We used regular fresh orange juice, but blood oranges have a nice flavor, too. For an even sweeter taste, try cara cara oranges.

Any good quality olive oil is fine for this cake. You don’t have to use extra-virgin olive oil, though you can if you like a stronger olive oil flavor.

For a boozy kick, Grand Marnier is a great choice.

Storage Instructions

Orange Olive Oil Cake is best served on the same day, though it is still delicious for days after making. For best flavor, serve it slightly warm or at room temperature.

To store, place in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Olive Oil cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly before freezing and always let it cool first.

Tips

Make this Orange Olive Oil Cake recipe using fresh orange juice. It won’t take you much time and is so worth the effort.

You can also make this cake in a square or regular cake pan or even a loaf pan, but make sure it is the same size. Too much batter in one pan can cause the cake to fall in the center.

Though it’s tempting to take a look, try not to open the oven door until it’s time to check on the cake. The cooler air rushing in can cause the cake to fall.

More Delicious Desserts

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars

Linzer Tart Cookies

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