Oh, I love when a recipe is almost criminally easy but tastes like you slaved away for hours! Seriously, if you are looking for that one cake that never disappoints, you’ve found it. This Olive Oil Orange Cake is absolutely my go-to when I need something fast, incredibly moist, and bursting with bright, fresh citrus flavor. Forget heavy butter cakes—the olive oil does all the heavy lifting here, bringing moisture you wouldn’t believe. It’s honestly the simplest cake I keep on rotation, and the smell when it bakes? Unforgettable. Trust me, you’re going to want to make this one every week.

Gathering Your Ingredients for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

You don’t need a complicated pantry for this beauty. Since it’s so simple, the quality of what you use really shines through. That’s why I insist on using the very best olive oil you can find!

Essential Components for the Olive Oil Orange Cake Batter

2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil – don’t skimp here, it’s vital!
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (please, only fresh!)
Zest of 1 large orange
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

If you want to see how I make a fantastic tea bread using almonds, check out my notes over here on raspberry almond tea bread. But for this cake, stick to this list!

Tips for Success When Making Your Olive Oil Orange Cake

Baking this cake is easy, but a few tiny tweaks make the difference between a good cake and an absolutely phenomenal one. Since we are using lovely, fragrant olive oil instead of butter, the structure is a little different, and we want to respect that!

I’ve found that using room temperature eggs makes a huge difference when whisking them with the sugar; they get pale and fluffy so much faster. If you’re looking for other straightforward recipes that still feel special, take a peek at my thoughts on homestyle yellow cake. That one also relies on good whisking technique!

Expert Advice for a Perfect Olive Oil Orange Cake Texture

The absolute number one rule here is: do not overmix the flour! Once you add those dry ingredients, mix only until you don’t see streaks of white anymore. Seriously, stop stirring then. Overmixing develops gluten, and we want tender, happy crumb, not a rubbery cake. Also, when you test for doneness, skip shaking the pan—just use a thin wooden skewer right in the very center. If it comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, that’s perfect. It means the residual heat will finish the job as it cools.

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

Since this cake comes together so fast, I usually get everything ready to go before I even preheat the oven—that way, nothing has time to sit around getting sad. If you want great citrus flavor inspiration, check out my tips on my lemon cake recipe while you’re waiting for the oven to warm up!

Preparing the Pan and Mixing the Wet Ingredients for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

First things first: turn that oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 Celsius if you prefer metric). Then, grease and flour that 8-inch round pan really well; that olive oil can sometimes make cakes stickier than butter cakes do. Now, get your whisk! Whisk those two eggs and the full cup of sugar together until they get pale and look a little thick—it’s a good sign they’re happy. Once that’s done, slowly drizzle in your half-cup of lovely extra virgin olive oil while keeping up that steady whisking motion until it totally comes together.

Combining Dry Ingredients and Final Batter Mixing for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

Go grab a separate bowl for your dry stuff—that’s the flour, baking powder, and salt. Give those a quick whisk together so everything is evenly distributed. Now, we add small amounts of the dry mixture into the wet stuff, alternating gently with your orange juice, zest, and milk. Remember what I said? Mix until it’s *just* combined. I mean it, stop stirring the second you can’t see any dry pockets of flour! Pour that golden batter right into your waiting pan.

Baking and Cooling Your Delicious Olive Oil Orange Cake

Now for the best part—waiting for that magnificent citrus aroma to fill your kitchen! Pop the cake into that preheated 350°F oven and set your timer for 30 minutes. Because this cake is so moist, you need to check it carefully around the 30-minute mark. Stick a thin wooden skewer right into the very center.

What are we looking for? We want it to come out clean! If you see wet batter clinging on, give it 5 more minutes and check again. I never want to see batter streaks—that’s when I know I need to wait just a little longer. Once it passes the test, pull it out! Don’t try and get it out immediately, though; that’s how you get cracks.

Let the cake rest right there in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. This short cooling period is crucial because the olive oil keeps things super tender. Then, you carefully flip it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Once it’s totally cool, my favorite way to serve this wonderful cake is just with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, just like the recipe suggests. If you enjoy baking with dried fruits, you might want to check out my date and walnut cake notes!

Variations for Your Simple Olive Oil Orange Cake

Even though this Olive Oil Orange Cake is perfect just as it is—seriously, it’s magic—sometimes I just can’t resist fiddling around a bit once I’ve mastered the basics. That’s the fun part of baking, isn’t it? You can easily amp up the flavor without messing with that beautiful, tender crumb the olive oil gives us.

If you’re feeling fancy after the cake has completely cooled, forget the simple powdered sugar dusting and whip up the lightest glaze. Skip that thick frosting, though! We want something sheer that lets the cake flavor shine. You can easily swap out the orange zest for lemon zest if you’re craving a different kind of bright citrus kick. Or, just add a tiny splash of pure vanilla extract right into the wet ingredients when you mix the milk and juice.

For a truly festive look, especially around the holidays, I sometimes add a handful of dried cranberries to the batter right before pouring it into the pan. If you love that cranberry-citrus combo, you have to check out the recipe I have for cranberry orange cake—it uses a similar base but adds even more complexity!

Serving Suggestions for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

When this bright, lovely Olive Oil Orange Cake comes out of the oven, sometimes you just want to eat it immediately, right? I totally get it! Because the cake itself is so moist and flavorful from the olive oil and zest, you really don’t need much fuss. That’s what makes it so reliable.

My favorite way to serve it—especially on a warm afternoon—is naked, maybe just with a light shower of powdered sugar across the top to catch the light. However, if you are serving this after dinner or for brunch, it pairs beautifully with a small dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. It just melts right into the porous crumb!

If you want something a bit more vibrant, fresh raspberries or thinly sliced strawberries on the side bring a lovely tart contrast to the sweet orange. And honestly, this is the perfect cake to slowly enjoy alongside a strong cup of coffee in the morning. Speaking of coffee, if you’re looking for a cake specifically designed for those morning sips, you should definitely look at my thoughts on coffee cake recipes—it’s a different texture but just as comforting!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for the Olive Oil Orange Cake

The best part about using olive oil in a cake is that it stays unbelievably moist for days! You don’t have to rush to eat this one right away. Seriously, I think my Olive Oil Orange Cake tastes even better on day two because the orange flavor has had time to really marry into the crumb.

Once it’s completely cool—and I mean totally cool, don’t rush this part or you’ll trap steam—slide it into an airtight container. I just leave mine right out on the counter at room temperature. It keeps beautifully for about three to four days this way. Don’t worry about refrigeration unless your kitchen is super hot; the fridge actually dries out tender baked goods!

If you want to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven feeling, it’s super easy. Just take a slice and give it about 10 seconds in the microwave. That little bit of warmth really wakes up the olive oil fragrance again. If you’re looking for other no-fuss, moist storage tips, I’ve compiled some great advice over on my post about easy banana bread that stays moist!

Frequently Asked Questions About Making Olive Oil Orange Cake

It’s totally normal to have questions when you switch up baking staples like oil for butter! This cake is so straightforward, but a few tweaks can make all the difference, especially if you can’t find exactly what I used. If you’re looking for other interesting flavor combinations, I have a lovely post about an almond cake with raspberry jam that you might enjoy too!

Can I substitute the olive oil in this Olive Oil Orange Cake?

That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Look, the whole point of calling this an Olive Oil Orange Cake is that the olive oil flavor is what makes it sing! You absolutely need that distinct, fruity note. If you are truly out, you can substitute with a very neutral, light vegetable oil just to get the texture right. But honestly, it won’t taste the same—it loses that special richness!

How do I get the best orange flavor in my Olive Oil Orange Cake?

This is where we get maximum impact for minimal effort! You must zest that orange barrel first. The zest holds all those fragrant essential oils, and that’s where about 80% of the bright orange flavor comes from. Freshly squeezing the juice afterward gives you the necessary liquid and tartness to cut through the sugar. Don’t even think about using concentrate; it just doesn’t have the same punch.

Nutritional Estimates for One Slice of Olive Oil Orange Cake

Since this cake is so simple and relies mainly on olive oil for its fat content, the numbers stay pretty reasonable for a treat! Here are the estimates based on one slice of this delicious Olive Oil Orange Cake. Remember, these are just guidelines, so they’ll change a bit depending on the exact brand of olive oil or milk you select.

If you’re curious about how to keep treats low-calorie overall, I wrote a big piece on low-calorie recipe ideas that might give you some inspiration for lighter snacks!

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 280
Sugar: 20g
Total Fat: 14g (with about 12g of that being unsaturated fat, thank you, olive oil!)
Carbohydrates: 35g
Protein: 4g

See? Not too shabby for such a flavorful cake! It’s all about that quality fat doing its job to keep everything rich and moist without needing tons of heavy cream or butter.

Olive Oil Orange Cake

Author: leckerzutaten.com
Total Time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

A simple cake made with olive oil and fresh orange flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 large orange
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened.
Slowly whisk in the olive oil until combined.
Stir in the orange juice, orange zest, and milk.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

You can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar for a simple finish.
Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: General

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 280
Sugar: 20
Sodium: 180
Fat: 14
Saturated Fat: 2
Unsaturated Fat: 12
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 35
Fiber: 1
Protein: 4
Cholesterol: 50

Keywords: olive oil cake, orange cake, citrus cake, simple cake, olive oil dessert