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Let’s call for a celebration! An excuse to eat cake! We’ll call this occasion “congratulations – we’ve – survived – nine – months – in – this – crazy – pandemic.” I don’t know about you but I’m just about ready to eat another slice of cake and pop open a bottle of a sparkling red wine (hint, hint: if you are looking for a drink pairing to go with this). Of course, coffee or tea would be the obvious choice to pair for this lovely, decadent cake.

We’re making Vegan Olive Oil Cake this week and you are in for a treat! It is crazy easy to make at home. CRAZY EASY. You will not need any special cake techniques or special tools. Ingredients are nothing out of the ordinary but it sure is a sophisticated cake.

If you’ve never had olive oil cake before, think of it as a refreshing lemony pound cake. Instead of using butter, or other neutral flavored oil to enrich the cake – the use of extra virgin olive oil takes in place. Extra virgin olive oil gives a fruity and, slightly, peppery note. The use of extra virgin olive oil is much robust in flavor compared to light or virgin olive oil. Do not confuse or substitute E.V.O.O. with a lighter version – it will not be the same.

While it may seem kind of odd to have olive oil in a cake – I’ve gotten odd reactions, trust me – it will be amazing! It is rich, yet light (it did not weigh me down like normal cakes), fruity, and – needless to say – a very moist cake. It is not overtly sweet, so if you do not have a strong sweet tooth (like myself), this is a really great cake for starters. And no, will not taste savory nor will it taste pasta or pizza. It will be zesty, sweet, and refreshing perfect for a midday snack, an after dinner dessert, or whenever you feel like eating a slice.

GETTING STARTED

Here are a few things I highly recommend you look into before getting started on this recipe:

  • Quality extra virgin olive oil. Look for oil that is packaged in a dark bottle (or covered packaging). Why? Olive oil has a higher chance of going rancid when it is packaged in a clear bottle. While it is not all bad, it is best to select olive oil that has less exposure to light for that quality, richer flavor. Also, check on best by dates and ensure the oil is not about to expire (or already expired).
  • Kitchen scale. While it is not required of you to own a kitchen scale at home, I highly recommend it. Most of my baking recipes work best in grams. However, if you are not ready to purchase one (or find no purpose for it aside from baking occasionally), cup measurements will be provided.
  • Cake pan. Preferably 9.5″ – 10″ in diameter springform cake pans will work best. However, use whatever you may have if it is not available at the moment. If your cake pans are non-stick, or have a history of having food stuck on the pan, line parchment paper over it before pouring your cake batter.
  • Microplane or any cheese / box grater. We will be zesting a lemon. Which is basically scraping the yellow exterior for that fragrant, lemony flavor in the cake. Using any grater will work.
  • Egg replacer. The use of flax eggs will be used for this recipe. Which is a combination of ground flax meal and water. You can find flax meal in the organic section of a supermarket or the baking section. For vegan baking, flax eggs are highly recommended – it is cheaper than starch egg replacers (and it also has more health benefits). Don’t worry, you will not taste the flax meal in the cake. Do you need to use an egg replacer? Yes. I find that using an egg replacer will help bind the cake better.

CAKE TO SERVE

Here are few serving tips you can use to get the most out of the cake:

  • The cake will be delicious as it is. I would snack on this cake by itself because it is already flavorful. But if you insist on adding that extra je ne sais quoi, dust the top of your cake with powdered sugar with a sifter. I do not recommend adding a vegan buttercream or vegan cream cheese on top as it will overpower the taste of the cake.
  • Add any fruits you like on top for garnish (and also to eat). It’s aesthetically pleasing, I know, but adding an extra tart flavor will compliment this cake. Think citrus and berries. And if you are adventurous, adding fragrant herbs such as basil, rosemary, mint, or oregano are complimentary to the cake flavor.
  • Drizzle with an additional teaspoon of olive oil to finish on each cake slice.

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Vegan Olive Oil Cake

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Author The Earth Kitchen

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Spatulas
  • whisk
  • 9.5" – 10" springform cake pan
  • baking sifter
  • box grater / microplane (or any cheese grater)
  • measuring cups & spoons
  • digital kitchen scale (optional)
  • cooling rack

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 470 g (3 cups) unbleached all purpose flour sifted
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 whole lemon zest
  • 1 tsp kosher salt (or sub ½ tsp for regular fine salt)

WET INGREDIENTS

  • 150 g (¾ cup) extra virgin olive oil + more for serving
  • 2 large flax eggs (2 tbsp flaxmeal + 4 tbsp water)
  • 240 g (1 cup) unsweetened plain non-dairy milk
  • 270 g (1¼ cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice

FOR SERVING

  • organic powdered sugar for dusting
  • fruits for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Prepare flax eggs in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside until it has thicken.
  • On a large mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together and mix.
    NOTE: For the lemon zest, using a microplane grater (or any grater you have on hand), scrape the outermost layer (yellow exterior) of a clean lemon. Fold onto the dry ingredients.
  • On a separate mixing bowl: pour the flax egg, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Whisk completely. Add in the olive oil and fold into the liquid mixture. Oil and liquids will separate, which is normal.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until all ingredients have combined completely or there are no dry patches of flour on the batter. Do not overmix your cake batter, clumps are okay.
  • Brush / spread a thin coat of olive oil onto a cake pan. If your cake pan isn't a non-stick, place a parchment over it to prevent your cake from sticking.
    Pour cake batter on to the pan and level out with the back of a spatula.
  • Bake the cake for about 45 minutes – 1 hour depending on your oven. You will know the cake has fully baked if you poke a skewer or fork in thickest part of the cake and the skewer runs clear. Cake will also be golden brown in color.
  • Allow the cake to cool down completely, on a cooling rack, for at least 30 minutes before slicing or sifting powdered sugar.
  • Sift a bit of powdered sugar on top and garnish with your favorite fruits on top to serve. For this recipe, I added extra lemon wedges and some blueberries to compliment the cake. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on cake slices before serving for a finishing touch.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Measurements – I measure my baking ingredients in grams; which I highly recommend you use (although it is optional). The cup measurement provided are converted. However, the results of cup measurements may vary as not all cup measurements yield the exact amount each time.
Choice of Olive Oil – Quality extra virgin olive oil works best as it will give a very fruity, subtle, yet fragrant flavor. If you have yet to pick up one at the supermarket, pick the olive oil that is packaged in a dark bottle or kept in a dark as it is much robust in flavor. Olive oil exposed to light (or packaged in clear glass bottles) can easily lead to rancid oil.