Olive Oil Cake Recipe (2024)

Published: Aug 22, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

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This olive oil cake recipe is a classic. You won't need much more than a few pantry staples, a bowl and a whisk! It's moist and perfect as a dessert or an afternoon snack.

When it comes to cakes, I like mine fluffy, light and moist. Luckily, this classic olive oil cake checks all the boxes for us. Like my popular Turkish semolina cake, date cake and tahini cake, this cake is mildly sweet and has a very nice flavor that would go perfect with a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Table Of Contents:

Why you'll love this recipe
🗒️Ingredients and substitutions
🥣How to make olive oil cake
💭Tips for best results
📖Variations
Storing the leftovers
❔Frequently asked questions
🍰More delicious cake recipes
Step-by-Step Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Great flavor: Similar to my pistachio cake, this cake is fragrant thanks to the olive oil and not too sweet.
Perfect texture: It's perfectly moist and tender, so there is no need for frosting.
No butter: Since this recipe calls for olive oil and not butter, which usually needs time to come to room temperature, the preparation is quicker.

🗒️Ingredients and substitutions

Olive oil: You can use pure (regular) or light olive oil for this recipe. It keeps the cake very moist and adds a nice flavor. Using extra virgin olive oil will result in the cake having a bolder olive oil flavor.
Yogurt: Use plain (not flavored) yogurt to make olive oil cake. For a non-dairy option, try using soy or almond milk yogurt.
Eggs: You need 2 large eggs, there is no need to take them out of the fridge in advance. If looking for an egg-free alternative, use flax eggs.
Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works best for this recipe.
Flour: You can use all purpose flour or cake flour to make this cake.
Leavening agents: We are going to use both baking powder and baking soda.

🥣How to make olive oil cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan and line the pan with it.
Place the olive oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl and start mixing using a whisk or an electric mixer.
Whisk in the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely before slicing.

💭Tips for best results

Don't overmix: Whisk in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just enough to make sure there are no dry flour lumps. Overmixing will prevent your cake from rising.
Stick to the recipe: Baking is practically a science and altering measurements can mess up the results.
Measure the flour properly: For correct measuring, spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it. Use a knife to scrape across the top to level the flour.

📖Variations

This recipe makes a nice basic cake that's just perfect on its own. However, if you're looking for other variations, here are a couple of suggestions:

Add the zest of one lemon plus 2 tablespoons of lemon juice alongside the wet ingredients for some bright lemon flavor.
Use the zest of one navel orange and add 2 tablespoons orange juice to the wet ingredients if you'd like a hint of orange in the cake.

Storing the leftovers

Since this cake doesn't contain frosting, you can store it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate olive oil cake for up to one week.

❔Frequently asked questions

Can I make this cake vegan?

Yes, use plain almond or soy milk yogurt instead of regular yogurt and flax eggs instead of regular eggs.

Can I freeze olive oil cake?

This cake freezes beautifully. Once the olive oil cake has cooled completely, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw the cake in the fridge overnight.

🍰More delicious cake recipes

Molten Lava Cake for Two [Video]
Best Pistachio Cake Recipe
Tahini Date Cake Recipe
Persian Love Cake Recipe

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Step-by-Step Recipe