This Citrus Olive Oil Cake Recipe is a must-try. It’s soft, light, fragrant, and full of flavor. It also goes by Mediterranean Olive Oil Cake or Orange and Lemon Zest Cake. Something is refreshing about this cake, that it isn’t too sweet but still delicious. With with hints of lemon and orange citrus, rosemary, and a touch of olive oil, it hits a perfect balance that makes each bite feel a bit special.
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Why do you love this cake?
- The cake has a wonderfully light citrus flavor and a delicate, refreshing aroma. Even if you’re not usually a fan of strong citrus, this one is a great choice as it’s subtle and not at all overpowering.
- It has the right balance of citrus from the zest, spice of the rosemary, and just the right amount of sweetness.
- A great combination with your coffee or tea.
- It is very easy to make and needs just a handful of ingredients.
- Dusting with confectioner's sugar gives it the inviting bakery look.
- Like they say, "As long as you know how to bake, life is sweet," and "Happiness is having a self-baked cake.", had saved this recipe from a friend, and I have already made it many times thereafter. It comes out just perfect every time, and therefore, a fail-proof recipe.
Ingredients of the Citrus Olive Oil Cake Recipe
- All-purpose Flour, baking powder, and Salt
- Olive oil and vegetable oil can also be used
- Kitchen Staples: Milk, Eggs, Sugar
- Orange, Lemon (Zest used), and Rosemary
How to make Citrus Olive oil cake?
To make this cake, keep the zest of orange and lemon, and finely chopped rosemary, ready. Gently rub them with sugar, using your fingers. This brings out the fragrance and moisture in it.
Next, beat the fragrant sugar with three eggs till it turns pale yellow. Later, incorporate the milk and oil. Lastly, add the all-purpose flour whisked with baking powder and salt with a spatula.
You can dust with icing sugar after cooling or serve as is.
- Step 1: Gently rub the sugar with lemon and orange zest, along with the rosemary leaves, with your fingers
- Step 2: The sugar is well mixed and homogenous with a nice fragrance.
- Step 3: Beat the eggs and fragrant sugar from the previous step
- Step 4: When it turns pale yellow, add milk and oil and continue beating
- Step 5: Add the flour, whisked with baking powder and salt, to the batter and incorporate well. Transfer to a baking pan.
- Step 6: Bake at 350 deg for 35 minutes.
- Step 5: Cool the cake
- Step 6: Dust the confectioner's sugar and cut into slices, and enjoy!
Here's a similar recipe for Citrus Olive oil cake that I was inspired by, do check it out as well. If you love simple cakes like this, you may also enjoy the Vanilla Sponge Cake . Some other cakes to try: Tres Leches Cake, Strawberry Shortcake with whipped cream frosting, and White Layered Cake with whipped cream frosting.
Useful Tips
- Using oil instead of butter makes it a light cake. The original recipe uses olive oil. I substituted it with vegetable oil and did not find any significant difference.
- This can be had as a tea or coffee cake, or just by itself. It can also be served with strawberry compote and a drizzle of olive oil to taste even better.
- Use Eggs at room temperature so it is easier to beat and incorporate.
- You can get creative and dust it with molds on the cake, to get various shapes and make it look pretty.
Recipe FAQs
Do not overmix the batter; just mix until well incorporated. Overmixing can cause the batter to have more air, which rises rapidly and then falls. Ensure to have the right temperature while baking.
Oil is preferred in this cake for the light and soft texture but you can go with melted butter that is cooled instead of oil as well.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Citrus Olive Oil Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing from you!
Citrus Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose Flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 orange zest
- 1 lemon zest
- 7-8 rosemary leaves chopped finely
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 deg .Line up the cake pan with parchment paper and spray it with oil.
- In a bowl ,combine all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt , whisk and keep it aside.
- Add sugar to a bowl. Add the zest of orange and lemon along with rosemary to the sugar.
- Slowly rub the contents with your fingers , until the sugar gets moist and fragrant.
- In a stand mixer, add three eggs and the sugar with the zest and beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until it turns pale yellow.
- Next add milk as it is beating and then add in the oil and mix well.
- Lastly , add all purpose flour that was set aside .Mix using a spatula until it is just about incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake it at 350 deg F for 35 minutes. A wooden skewer should come out clean , when inserted in the cake.
- Cool on the cooling rack and cut into big slices. Dust with confectioners sugar if you like. Enjoy.
Notes
- Using oil instead of butter makes it a light cake. The original recipe uses olive oil. I substituted it with vegetable oil and did not find any significant difference.
- This can be had as a tea or coffee cake, or just by itself. It can also be served with strawberry compote and a drizzle of olive oil to taste even better.
- Use Eggs at room temperature so it is easier to beat and incorporate.
- You can get creative and dust it with molds on the cake to get various shapes and make it look pretty.
This citrus olive oil cake is pure sunshine! The crumb is so tender, and the bright lemon-orange flavor is perfectly balanced. That golden crust? Perfection!
This cake was light and fragrant, we enjoyed it with a cup of tea, definitely a recipe I'll be making again!
This cake had just thr right amount of citrus flavor and was perfect with my afternoon tea! Definitely a keeper!
Thank you for sharing this recipe
My husband made this for me for my birthday this year, and I finally got around to commenting. It was so moist and delicious, with incredibly bright flavors. We will definitely be making it again.
Thank you so much for the wonderful comment, so glad you enjoyed it!