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. 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:
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
More Citrus Cake Recipes:
Lemon Olive Oil Cake — My new FAVORITE lemon dessert of all time!! Lemon zest, juice, extract, and Limoncello add so much AMAZING lemon flavor to this EASY, ridiculously moist no-mixer cake that’s unique and INCREDIBLE!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Orange Poke Cake with Honey-Orange Glaze – BOLD orange flavor in this EASY, 100% scratch, no mixer poke cake!! Orange juice, orange extract, and orange zest make this cake the BEST way ever to get your Vitamin C!! Orange Crush Cake – Bold Orange Crush flavor in this easy cake that’s super moist and light! The kid in all of us will love this orange tie-dyed cake! Lemon Buttermilk Cake with Lemon Glaze – An easy little cake with big lemon flavor! Soft, fluffy, and foolproof if you like puckering up! The Best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake – So soft, moist, and really is The Best!! A cheery, happy cake that’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face! This 100% from-scratch cake is an EASY reader favorite you’re going to love!! Key Lime Cake — An EASY and refreshing poke cake with plenty of zippy lime flavor that’s perfect for summer parties, picnics, and potlucks!! Everyone loves this tangy-and-sweet, light, and airy cake!! Originally posted September 14, 2018 and reposted with updated text March 25, 2022.