Classic Olive Oil Cake Recipe - l™ { From Scratch } (2024)

FAQs

What makes a good olive oil cake? ›

High-quality olive oil ensures a cake that is rich, flavorful, and moist. The thick texture of buttermilk provides structure to the batter for a cake that's tangy and light. The subtle aroma of lemon zest and orange flower water adds dimension to the cake and elevates the character of the olive oil.

Several things could contribute to a dense olive oil cake, including overmixing the batter, using too much flour, or not incorporating enough air into the batter during mixing.

How long does it keep? Your olive oil cake will keep well for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If frosted, it needs to be kept refrigerated. Let the cake cool fully before storing.

If you want the benefits of an olive oil cake but don't want any noticeable flavor added from the olive oil, use olive oils that have a mild intensity like a Spanish Arbequina or Greek Koroneiki.

Because this cake is so simple, it's important to use high-quality ingredients–typically, extra virgin olive oil is used for the stronger flavor.

Through word-of-mouth, Little House Confections started getting their name out there. Big things didn't really start happening until her friend Simone Harouche, a popular interior designer and stylist friend of Kim Kardashian's, bought a cake for Kim.

If you want a stronger taste, you can use 'extra virgin' olive oil, which is unrefined and has a bold olive flavor. If you don't want any hint of olive oil flavor, you can use one of the 'light' olive oils on the market now, or any other kind of neutral cooking oil you like.

This is because too much batter in one cake tin may result in the weight of the batter being too much for the cake to support, causing the cake to collapse and sink in the middle as it bakes. This is especially true for cake recipes which have a more softer, delicate structure to them, which many of my cake recipes do.

Why does oil give cake superior texture? Butter is 18% water, so when the batter is baked, some of its liquid evaporates. Replacing the water from the butter with oil means there's more fat left in the cakes to ensure tenderness.

I poured the olive oil in a small stream for 2+ minutes (Very similar to making an aioli). This is necessary because you are practically "force feeding" fat into your batter. If you do not do it slowly enough, your batter will not combine properly and the cake will sink in the middle during the bake.

Should you refrigerate olive oil cake? ›

How do I store the cake? Keep the olive oil cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. If you choose the top the cake with frosting or fruit, you'll have to refrigerate the cake.

Generally, people enjoy the fruity flavor that olive oil cake usually offers, while others might love the fact that unlike regular cake, olive oil cake bakes up to be loftier and stays moist longer.

Shelf life of olive oil

There's a point at which it goes rancid and simply doesn't taste great. Most olive oils last 18–24 months from the time they're bottled. Extra virgin olive oils are less processed and usually last a bit less, around 12–18 months from the time they're bottled ( 1 ).

Why does oil give cake superior texture? Butter is 18% water, so when the batter is baked, some of its liquid evaporates. Replacing the water from the butter with oil means there's more fat left in the cakes to ensure tenderness.

If you have too much liquid or too much fat in your cake batter, this can result in a cake with a weak structure which can cause it to sink in the middle.

Baking with Olive Oil

If substituting olive oil for vegetable oil (or another cooking oil) in your baking recipe, you can use a 1:1 ratio. Because of olive oil's distinct flavor, it might affect the flavor of the baked product.