Orange Olive Oil Cake — A super soft and moist cake that’s made with olive oil!! Orange zest, orange juice, and Grand Marnier add tons of AMAZING orange flavor to this easy, no-mixer cake that’s unique, refined, and INCREDIBLE!!
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This easy, one-bowl, no-mixer orange cake with olive oil is a huge eye-opening kind of cake for me. After blogging for nearly 10 years and making hundreds of cakes, this was my first ever cake made with olive oil. But it won’t be my last because it was supremely soft, tender, and exceedingly moist without being too heavy or dense.
You can literally almost see the moistness oozing from the olive oil cake, but it doesn’t taste greasy and it stays moist for days. I still had leftover cake that I forgot about in the back of my cupboard and a week later that was just as good as the first day, and even more moist. I don’t know how that’s possible but it happened.
I cannot say enough amazing things about this cake. A personal fave of mine for sure.
Love Olive Oil Cakes? Make My Lemon Version Next!
Another long-time reader favorite is my Lemon Olive Oil Cake recipe. It’s made with lemon zest, juice, extract, and Limoncello. I can’t decide whether the orange or lemon version is my favorite!
The olive oil cake itself if not overly sweet by any means. It would be the perfect cake to serve after a fancier dinner party with equally rich or luxurious food.
I liken this olive oil orange cake to cakes served in fancy restaurants. They are never sugar bombs, even the chocolate ones. They are more refined and tend to have unique flavor pairings that you don’t encounter often.
I cannot wait to make this olive oil cake again, especially in the winter for holiday parties and events. It is a talking piece kind of cake rather than just another chocolate cake that we’ve all had a zillion times. Unique and different in the best possible way.
I gave half the cake to some ladies at my daughter’s school and they loved it. Every time I’ve since encountered them, they are all still thanking me for this cake!
Ingredients Needed
To make this orange olive oil cake, you’ll need:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Eggs
- Whole milk
- Orange zest and juice
- Grand Marnier
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Confectioners’ sugar
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Olive Oil Cake
This orange and olive oil cake recipe couldn’t be simpler to make! Here’s an overview of the recipe:
- Just whisk together the wet ingredients, then add in the dry.
- Turn the batter into a greased and lined 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake until the orange cake is golden brown and domed in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- You’ll need to let this olive oil cake cool for a few minutes before turning out of the pan to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Garnishing the Cake
I dusted the cake with confectioners’ sugar rather than making a glaze or frosting and it was perfect. I almost made a glaze with confectioners’ sugar and Grand Marnier and may try that next time but simply dusting the cake with confectioners’ sugar was so fast and easy.
Recipe FAQs
I used Trader Joe’s Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil and while I’m sure the flavor of the cake will change depending on the exact brand and type of oil used, I recommend a quality extra-virgin olive oil here. Something you’d dip bread in, cook chicken in, or use in a homemade salad dressing.
You only use 1/4 cup in the entire cake, which doesn’t sound like much but it’s also something I wouldn’t skip. It adds a luxurious flavor that is so elegant tasting. If you don’t drink alcohol for whatever the reason, I cannot say how the cake will taste or turn out if you, for example, just use 1/4 cup water in its place or use an extra 1/4 cup orange juice. Adding more orange juice really worries me more because of the extra acidity in the OJ coupled with the baking soda/powder and I’m not sure what will happen.
My thoughts are that during baking, the potency of the actual alcohol bakes off and what you’re left with is simply the flavor. Again, it’s only 1/4 cup divided between a cake that will easily feed 8 to 10, so each person is maybe getting 1/2 teaspoon. Cough syrup has more.
I have always preferred oil in cake rather than butter. Oil is 100% fat whereas butter is about 80% fat. That extra 20% of fat keeps oil-based cakes softer and moister than butter cakes. You can’t argue with science.
No! I personally wouldn’t have known this orange olive oil cake was specifically olive oil based on taste alone. Olive oil has quite a distinct flavor in comparison to canola or vegetable oil and I went into the cake thinking I’d be able to taste the olive oil specifically and prominently but it wasn’t like that. Very subtly, yes, but not distinctly.
What I tasted more than anything was the orange flavor. The cake has orange flavor incorporated three ways: orange zest, orange juice, and Grand Marnier liqueur. I realize it’s a bit of a pricier liqueur, but I highly recommend it here.
Baking Tips
Pan size: You must use a 9-inch springform cake pan for this olive oil cake recipe. Do not make this cake in a regular 9-inch cake pan. Most are only about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep, and this cake rises to about 2 1/2 to 3 inches on the sides and nearly 4 inches in the center. It will overflow in a regular 9-inch pan.
Grand Marnier hack: If you don’t want to buy an entire bottle of Grand Marnier you can purchase mini bottles that contain about 1/4 cup of liquid. This tip came from a reader who made this recipe!
Bake time: his cake bakes in a fairly cool oven for a long duration. Don’t be alarmed if a small circular patch on the top of the cake appears to be burning early on in the baking process. Ultimately, it doesn’t darken much more and when the cake is done, the cake is approximately the same color as the initial dark patch.
Video Tutorial
I have made this recipe atleast 10 times and I’ve found it tastes best hands down (and I get the most compliments) when I substitute about 1-2 tbs of olive oil with orange infused olive oil. It gives a little more defined orange flavor.
Kirsten Heder
I LOVE this recipe!
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Orange Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons grated orange zest
- ¼ cup orange freshly squeezed juice
- ¼ cup Grand Marnier
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F, add a circle of parchment paper to the base of a 9-inch springform pan, and spray the parchment paper and the sides of the pan very well with cooking spray; set aside. Do not make this cake in a regular 9-inch cake pan. Most are only about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep and this cake rises to about 2 1/2 to 3 inches on the sides and nearly 4 inches in the center. It will overflow in a regular 9-inch pan.
- To a large bowl, add the olive oil, eggs, and whisk well to emulsify and incorporate.
- Add the milk, orange zest, orange juice (I was able to get sufficient zest and juice from one large orange), Grand Marnier, and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the sugar and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and whisk until just incorporated; don’t overmix. The batter in on the thin side; this is normal.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, place pan on a baking sheet as insurance against a leaky springform pan, and bake for about 70 to 75 minutes. Start checking after 60 minutes since all ovens vary. Cake will be golden browned and domed in the center when done, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. **
- Allow cake to cool in the springform pan for about 1 hour before releasing it and allowing the cake to finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar prior to serving.
Notes
- Cake will keep airtight at room temp for 1 week.
- **This cake bakes in a fairly cool oven for a long duration, low and slow. Don’t be alarmed if a small circular patch on the top of the cake appears to be burning early on in the baking process. Ultimately it doesn’t darken much more and when the cake is done, the cake is approximately the same color as the initial dark patch. This may or may not happen to you and possibly is just what happens in my oven, but I am pointing it out as nothing to worry about.
- Recipe adapted from Food52
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally posted September 14, 2018 and reposted with updated text March 25, 2022.
This is my son’s favorite cake and what he asks for every occasion including his 5th grade graduation. I only use one cup of olive oil and of sugar and I sub the gran marnier for triple sec because it’s what I have in my liquor cabinet. This cake is delicious, flavorful, and always a hit. It’s a great cake for someone that wants something moist without any frosting. Also so easy to make and most people have these ingredients in their pantry so no need to go the store for anything.
This is my son’s favorite cake and what he asks for every occasion including his 5th grade graduation. I only use one cup of olive oil and of sugar and I sub the gran marnier for triple sec because it’s what I have in my liquor cabinet. This cake is delicious, flavorful, and always a hit. It’s a great cake for someone that wants something moist without any frosting. Also so easy to make and most people have these ingredients in their pantry so no need to go the store for anything.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad your son loves this cake! Glad it’s always a big hit and that it’s easy for you to make!
great
This cake was an expensive fail. After cooking for 70 minutes it was still very jiggly in the middle but the outer rim was firm. I continued to cook for another 10 minutes with no improvement. My oven is very reliable so I know it wasn’t that. Sad to say it went in the trash.
This cake was an expensive fail. After cooking for 70 minutes it was still very jiggly in the middle but the outer rim was firm. I continued to cook for another 10 minutes with no improvement. My oven is very reliable so I know it wasn’t that. Sad to say it went in the trash.
I am thinking you simply needed to cook it longer if it was jiggly. Did you read the Notes below the recipe, specifically with the double asterisk?
Being that the recipe has 140+ reviews with an average of 4.4 5 stars, I assume that basically 90% of people loved the cake and had success with it. Sorry you didn’t.
This was so delicious! And incredibly easy to make.
Hi, I just made this moist and delicious cake and love it except it’s not as orange in colour but more of a green tint. I did use extra virgin olive oil, and I definitely can taste it as well. How did you get yours to be nice and orange inside.
This cake was a huge hit at our house! Made it for my parents over thanksgiving weekend – reduced the sugar to 1 cup, subbed in non-alc elderflower liqueur diluted in water for gran marnier, and added in some extra zest for good measure. The cake was super moist, and the edges were perfectly browned and subtly crispy. So good and definitely a new staple in our house in winters!
This cake was a huge hit at our house! Made it for my parents over thanksgiving weekend – reduced the sugar to 1 cup, subbed in non-alc elderflower liqueur diluted in water for gran marnier, and added in some extra zest for good measure. The cake was super moist, and the edges were perfectly browned and subtly crispy. So good and definitely a new staple in our house in winters!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a huge hit at your house and that the reduced sugar worked fine as well as your very creative swap for the Gran Marnier! Glad this is a new staple for you!
HOLY MOLY THIS IS REALLY GOOD!!!!!! I had orange olive oil on hand since Christmas and I didn’t like the taste in my salad. So I used it in this recipe (no alcohol for religion reasons) and subbed it with the OJ. Its AMAZING!
HOLY MOLY THIS IS REALLY GOOD!!!!!! I had orange olive oil on hand since Christmas and I didn’t like the taste in my salad. So I used it in this recipe (no alcohol for religion reasons) and subbed it with the OJ. Its AMAZING!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out amazing for you!
Now you can make the lemon version :). https://www.averiecooks.com/lemon-olive-oil-cake/
Seriously these two cakes are some of my favorite of ALL TIME! Glad you love them as much as I do!
This cake was absolutely amazing! Super moist with discernible orange flavor (I used the zest of 3 large oranges) and just a little depth added by the Grand Marnier. Next time I make it I will add just a bit more Grand Marnier because it reminded me of a super mild rum cake and I love rum cake! I would definitely suggest using a high-quality, mild olive oil.
Also, I didn’t read to the end of the instructions and when I poured the batter into the springform pan it leaked and I freaked out thinking I had done something wrong. Then I read that the batter is thin and it might leak so you should put your pan on a baking sheet which I did and it turned out beautifully! It did not need any powdered sugar on top either. I have been asked to make this again and will be doing so this weekend!
Now that we have time to bake this will be one of my quarantine cake recipes to make all the time. Looove this cake. So easy to make that my 6 yo boy was able to do it by himself. We only did half of sugar and sub the orange liquor for almond liquor as I didn’t have the grand manier and it was delish!
I’ll make it again with the orange liquor soon!
Thanks!
I made this cake about a month ago. It was actually a little under baked. But so good. Have never had olive oil cake before. My sister was visiting. We both enjoyed it immensely. Plan to make the lemon olive oil cake next time. I look forward to your emails every day. Thanks.
I made this cake about a month ago. It was actually a little under baked. But so good. Have never had olive oil cake before. My sister was visiting. We both enjoyed it immensely. Plan to make the lemon olive oil cake next time. I look forward to your emails every day. Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you tried this as well as plan to try the lemon oil cake! Let me know how you think they compare and if you can pick a favorite.
Thanks for being on my email list and for your readership.
This looks amazing! I’m pretty certain. I’m going to need an intervention after making this cake 😉
Haha! It’s one of my faves! This, and it’s lemon version cousin!