Baking with olive oil is a game changer! If you think extra virgin olive oil is just a healthy choice for savory dishes, think again. These olive oil cake recipes will make you a convert, too!
When I tell people that I bake with olive oil, I typically get some skeptical looks. Doesn’t it make your cakes taste funny? It’s not as good as butter, right? Well, when they try my olive oil cakes, I always change their minds!
There are many benefits of baking with olive oil, from health reasons to ease of use to yes, flavor. Not only will I share with you my many olive oil cake recipes with you, but I will also share my tips on baking with olive oil. Because, I’m not just an olive oil fan, but I wrote an olive oil cookbook and I’m also a certified olive oil taster (from University of California in Davis).
So I know a thing or two about this exquisite oil.
What is extra virgin olive oil?
Before I get into the baking tips and olive oil cake recipes, let’s be clear on what I mean when I say olive oil. When you cook or bake with olive oil, only use extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the oil mechanically extracted from olives.
No chemicals are used to extract oil from olives. Olives are crushed, pressed and spun in a centrifuge to release the oil and juices in the olives. Then the oil is separated from the water and solids and bottled. It’s as simple as that.
In fact, only extra virgin olive oil is extracted without chemicals or processing. Think of it more like a fruit juice than oil. And like fruit juices, it is perishable and has an expiration date.
Not all olive oils are alike. Light olive oil, extra light olive oil, pure olive oil… these are NOT extra virgin olive oil. Many times they are mixed with other oils with chlorophyl added to them for their green color.
Don’t believe all the misinformation out there about extra virgin olive oil. Not only can you bake with it, you can also cook with olive oil and roast with olive oil. You even can fry with olive oil.
Read the labels. Knowledge is power. And read my article so you will know what is in olive oil. Here are a couple of extra virgin olive oils I enjoy and trust. There are many reputable brands of olive oil out there. Just give it a taste and judge for yourself.
Baking with olive oil
Now don’t get me wrong. Butter is wonderful and delicious and I adore it, too. But when it comes baking, olive oil cakes, cookies and treats are just as delicious. Olive oils come in different kinds of flavor profiles, from mild and butter to pungent and peppery.
The flavor of olive oil you choose will come out in whatever you bake. For cakes, I prefer using a mild and buttery oil. But for a gingerbread olive oil cookie or for a savory olive rosemary bread, I choose a peppery olive oil. You can even use a flavored oil, one infused with lemons or oranges, to bring out even more flavor in your olive oil cake.
Olive oil cake recipes are especially popular during the Jewish holidays like Hannukah, Passover and Rosh Hashanah. My friend Beth from OMG Yummy has this incredible Pear Cake with Olive Oil, Ginger and Cinnamon.
And baking with olive oil isn’t just limited to cakes. I make olive oil scones and chocolate olive oil pie crusts. Get my tips on baking with olive oil and you, too, will be a convert!
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Olive Oil Cake Recipes
Baking with olive oil is a game changer! If you think extra virgin olive oil is just a healthy choice for savory dishes, think again. These olive oil cake recipes will make you a convert, too!
Moist and fluffy, this vanilla olive oil cake will be your go-to-cake recipe for every birthday or special occasion that comes your way!
This yogurt plum cake is so easy to whip up you can even wow last-minute dinner guests with a warm cake right out of the oven.
A little twist to the traditional lemon cake. Spruce up your holiday table and serve this olive oil lemon cake with basil and pomegranate.
This Raisin Black Forest Cake is my version of the infamous German chocolate cake, aka “Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.” There is plenty of chocolate and whipped cream goodness. But instead of including cherries, my cake is packed with kirsch-infused raisins and a light whipped cream.
Don't let the simplicity of this kumquat upside down cake fool you. The candied kumquats nestled into the cake creates incredibly moist and delicious dessert.
If you need to make a cake to feed a crowd, this dark chocolate sheet cake with yogurt and strawberries is the one to make. Ooey and gooey and oh so good!
Sweet strawberries paired with tart rhubarb are a classic relationship in the culinary world, and make a perfect Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake.
This gooey and decadent peppermint chocolate mug cake is not only soft and fluffy, but is easy to whip up and bakes in the microwave for only 90-seconds! Includes a free gift tag printable so you can make gift mixes, too!
This Campfire Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake bakes beautifully over campfire coals and makes a delicious dessert alternative to the usual campfire s'mores.
This caramel apple cake has all the flavors of caramel apples, without breaking your teeth. Filled with apple sauce, apple chunks and even apple juice. It's so versatile, you can bake it in a bundt pan or in a regular cake pan.
This Persian Baklava Cake gives you all the flavor you love without the fuss of phyllo: almonds, pistachios and rosewater.
If you're a fan of Baileys Irish Cream, then you will fall in love with these moist and delicious Baileys Cupcakes with its decadent Baileys cream cheese frosting.
Sweet and moist orange cake topped with tangy leftover cranberry sauce, this Orange Cranberry Upside Down Cake makes an easy dessert when entertaining over the holidays.
Nothing like some warm and fluffy Pumpkin Spice Mug Cake topped with icing and pecans to get you in the mood for fall and all it’s color and flavors.
These dreamy coconut cupcakes are moist and packed with shredded coconut both inside and out and frosted with a delicious cream cheese buttercream. Plus lots of options to customize it to your personal preferences!
Just because you have food allergies, doesn't mean that you can't have a fun birthday cake. This vegan birthday cake is dairy free and egg free and can be simply frosted, cut into elaborate shapes or made into vegan cake pops.
Whether you want a nice pound cake for your morning tea or you are looking a dairy-free cake to serve to your family, this marble loaf cake fits the bill. Made with olive oil, this cake will wow your guests with its moist texture and fabulous chocolate swirl
A cast iron skillet makes this Upside Down Orange Cake super easy to whip together and caramelizes the Valencia orange slices, peel and all!
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
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