Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake

Vegan Orange Olive Oil Cake! This cake is so moist- thanks to the combo of olive oil and orange juice. Topped with fresh berries, it’s the perfect cake for spring!

this Recipe

Orange olive oil cake! Perfect for brunches, Mother’s Day or a casual afternoon of baking. Our local grocery store was having a crazy sale on strawberries last week, so I grabbed way more than we needed and began dreaming up various ways to use them.

First up? This simple vegan olive oil cake, studded with orange-scented berries. I’ve been into olive oil cakes ever since I made my lemon olive oil muffins last year. You all love those muffins as much as I do, so I wanted to create something that could be served in a cake version.

PS– if you are looking for a chocolate version of this cake, check out my chocolate olive oil cake. 

Is Olive Oil Healthy?

I did a presentation a few weeks ago and a participant asked about the health benefits of oil. When it comes to nutrition, there are so many dogmas out there and the idea that added oils can’t fit in a healthy diet is one of the many current trends I’m seeing.

Oils add flavor to food and, in the case of plant oils like olive oil, beneficial in an overall healthy diet. While they may not be as nutrient dense as other whole-fat sources like avocado and nuts, there are multiple systemic reviews showing benefits. 

Some argue that oil is a dense source of calories, which is true. But that’s mostly important if you are focused entirely on weight loss, which I’m not. 

That’s really the beauty of nutrition. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing to fit. And, run fast from diets that tell you it must. When we look at observational population research like The Blue Zones and the breadth of controlled studies, we know that few of us do things in 100% extremes. It’s what we do most of the time that matters most.

Ingredients for this Vegan Olive Oil Cake

Here’s what you’ll need for this orange olive oil cake. Scroll down for the full recipe card and directions at the end of this post. 

• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Other unsweetened milks will work in this recipe.
• White vinegar or other acid; this helps give the almond milk a buttermilk tang. 
• Fresh orange zest with orange juice 
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar. I use regular cane sugar for this recipe. I don’t recommend subbing brown sugar. You could use coconut sugar if desired. 
• Olive oil. Of course! It’s an olive oil cake. 
• All-purpose flour. Alternatively, you can use 1 cup all-purpose, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour for a more wholesome cake.
• Baking soda

How to make an Olive Oil Cake

Start by lightly spraying a loaf pan with cooking spray of line with parchment paper. Next, make your non dairy buttermilk by whisking together the milk and vinegar, then set aside for 5 minutes to curdle slightly. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, sugar and olive oil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then add in the almond milk and vinegar mixture. 

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir in the wet ingredients with a spatula and stir until just combined, taking care not to over mix the cake batter. 

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack

To make the orange glaze that goes on top, whisk together 3 tablespoons powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon orange juice, then drizzle on top of the cake. Garnish with sliced strawberries!

I recommend storing in the fridge for 3-4 days, if it’ll last that long. I typically don’t recommend freezing leftover cake slices as I never think they are worth it, but if you must: wrap leftover cake completely in plastic wrap, then foil and place in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Is Olive Oil better than butter in cake?

As an added bonus, extra-virgin olive oil creates an incredibly moist cake compared to regular or vegan butter. Instead of the crumble, tender cake that you get with butter pound cakes, olive oil will keep the cake moist for 2-3 days after baking.

Think about the box cake mixes that you get in the store, you use oil instead of butter for most of them. Same principle here. Olive oil keeps the cake super moist while also imparting a delicious, fruity flavor.

What Olive Oil is best for Olive Oil Cake?

I call for a ‘fruity’ olive oil in this cake, so something with flavor! Give your olive oil a taste, it should be slightly grassy and complex. My go-to olive oil brand is California Olive Ranch; their unfiltered, cold-press olive oil is my go-to for salads, dressing, marinades and more.

However, no need to break the bank on this olive oil cake! It will still taste great using whatever olive oil you have around.

Can I use another oil instead of olive oil?

You can, but the flavor of the olive oil really shines in this cake. However, I’ve made it with a neutral oil before and it still works.

Do I have to add the orange glaze on top?

The cake itself is not very sweet so the orange glaze makes this more decadent. If you want to omit the orange glaze you can! It will be a more breakfast-like cake, which I love in the morning with a big cup of coffee.

More Vegan Cake Recipes:

• Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
• Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
• Carrot Cake Banana Bread
• Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cake
• The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

If you try this vegan olive oil cake recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!