Easy Olive Oil Cake with Orange

A Mediterranean classic, it is not too sweet and the optional oregano gives it a sophisticated twist. My olive oil cake with almonds is also dairy free. 

Olive Oil Cake

This moist, delicious olive oil and orange cake is the perfect Southern Mediterranean dessert. The flavours are grown up and elegant, and just singing of sun-drenched summer days. I have used just a touch of oregano for interest but you can leave this out if you prefer. 

Olive oil is delicious used in cakes and bakes instead of butter, and it is a common substitution in hotter countries.   

The combination of semolina and almond flour gives this classic Spanish olive oil cake more texture than a wheat flour cake, and a delicious nutty flavour. Without any dairy products to go off, it keeps well, even in hot weather.

Although it makes a big impression, this recipe is very easy to make. Because it’s all about the flavour, there is no fussing about with fancy decoration. 

What is semolina? 

Semolina is the coarse, purified middlings (intermediate milling stage) of durum wheat. It is mainly used in making couscous, pasta, upma, and sweet puddings.

Semolina comes in various grades. For this olive oil cake, you want fine semolina. 

Orange & olive oil cake ingredients

• Ground almonds – Also known as almond flour, and a great way to get flavour, texture and a little protein into a cake. Try to use a fresh or recently opened packet. The oil in the nuts can go rancid quite fast. 
• Semolina – Choose fine ground semolina for the best texture.  
• Baking powder – This needs to be fresh and active. It may last well past the expiry date if stored correctly, but if it has been open for a while, check before you start. Put a teaspoonful in a bowl and pour half a cup of hot water over it. If it bubbles up well, it’s fine.  
• Olive oil – Choose a good, rich, extra virgin olive oil with plenty of flavour in this recipe, to shine through in the finished cake.  
• Oregano – This gives a fragrant, complex, sophisticated character to the cake, but you can leave it out if you want the oranges to dominate.  
• Caster sugar – I generally prefer golden but I used white this time. Either is fine. If you don’t have caster sugar to hand, you can make it. Just put your granulated sugar in a clean grinder and pulse briefly until you have the right consistency. 
• Eggs – large free range eggs 
• Orange – You are going to use the zest, so choose unwaxed oranges. If you can’t find them, you can scrub the wax off but unwaxed is better. Use a bitter Seville orange if you can find them in season.

Orange & olive oil cake recipe – step by step

First, measure out the ingredients. Grease a 9″/ 22cm springform tin with olive oil, and line the bottom with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 160°C (Fan)/180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Pro Tip

We keep pieces of reusable, washable silicone paper cut to the size of each of our baking tins. Saves time and fuss!

Step 1 – Mix the ground almonds, semolina, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, oregano, and salt.

Step 2 – Put the eggs, sugar and olive oil in a bowl. Use an electric whisk to mix until pale and frothy. 

Step 3 – Zest and then juice the orange. If Seville oranges are in season, it’s worth using one, as the powerful orange flavour really shines through.

Tip It’s far easier to zest the orange before juicing it. Roll the orange on the countertop with the palm of your hand. This softens it and makes it easier to juice.

Step 4 – Add the olive oil mix, orange juice and zest to the dry ingredients. Fold together gently The mixture will froth slightly as the acidic orange juice reacts with the baking powder.

Step 5 – Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. 

Put in the oven immediately and bake for about 25–35 minutes. Check after 25 minutes with a cocktail stick, which should come out clean if the cake is ready. If at that point your olive oil cake needs more time to cook, cover loosely with a piece of kitchen foil. This will avoid the top burning before the centre is properly cooked. 

Step 6 – When a cocktail stick or skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready. Remove it from oven and allow to stand on a cooling rack still in the tin. After about five minutes, run a knife round the edge and remove the cake from tin.

Let it cool to room temperature. Dust with icing sugar and a sprinkle of oregano, and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche.

Hints and tips 

• Bake as soon as you have mixed the batter. The reaction between the baking powder and the orange juice helps it rise.  
• Leave out oregano if you prefer. 
• Swap half the orange zest and juice for lemon.
• Add a teaspoon of fragrant orange flower water.

Once cool store in an airtight tin and eat within 4 days. 

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Olive Oil, Orange & Oregano Cake

An easy to make cake flavoured with orange, and an optional pinch of oregano to evoke sun-drenched Mediterranean Spain.

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 150 ml extra virgin Olive Oil
• 3 eggs – free range
• 190 g caster sugar
• 1 orange – zest and juice
• 60 g ground almonds
• 130 g fine semolina
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate soda
• Pinch dried oregano
• Pinch salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Line and grease a 23 cm / 9 inch spring form tin.
• Mix the almonds, semolina, baking powder, bicarb, oregano and salt.
• Place the olive oil, eggs and sugar into a large bowl and whisk until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
• Zest and juice the orange.
• Stir the oil and egg mix into the dry mixture along with the orange zest and juice. Fold in to make a liquid batter.
• Once mixed pour the batter into the prepared tin immediately and bake for 35–40 minutes until risen and golden.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes then run a knife round the edge of the cake to loosen before opening the tin.
• Serve warm or cold with a sprinkling of icing sugar and oregano.

Notes

• Bake the cake as soon as you have mixed the batter. The reaction between the baking powder and the acidic orange juice helps it rise.  
• Leave out oregano if you prefer. 
• Swap half the orange zest and juice for lemon.
• Add a teaspoon of fragrant orange flower water.
• Once cool store in an airtight tin and eat within 4 days. 

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Olive Oil, Orange & Oregano Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 256 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 41mg14%

Sodium 62mg3%

Potassium 55mg2%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 64IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: Baked Goods, Baking, Cakes & Bakes, Spanish

Keyword: Orange & Oregano Cake

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Update Notes – Recipe for olive oil cake first published October 2014, update version with new photos, step by step instructions and hints and tips published May 2021.