Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

This Blood Orange Olive Oil cake is super rich and moist. It has a fruity, fragrant taste thanks to the olive oil and zest and juice of blood oranges. It’s a simple recipe for an impressive, unique cake!

This blood orange olive oil cake is so moist and flavorful! It’s made with extra virgin olive oil for moisture and a lovely fragrant flavor. It pairs so well with fresh blood oranges and is the perfect afternoon treat or after dinner dessert.

I love the fruity notes of olive oil. It pairs so well with fresh blood oranges!

For another recipe for olive oil cake, try my olive oil pumpkin cake, orange olive oil cake, and olive oil lemon cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• If you love the baking with olive oil, you’re in for a treat with this moist olive oil cake.
• This fragrant olive oil cake is delicious on its own. Blood oranges add a burst of color and freshness to the cake.
• It’s very simple to make!
• It makes the perfect snack with coffee and is special enough for special occasions!

INGREDIENT NOTES

Here are some useful notes on the ingredients for this blood orange cake recipe. Please see recipe card for a full list of ingredients and their measurements.

• Olive oil- Olive oil provides moisture and flavor. It’s best to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
• Eggs: Use 3 large, room temperature eggs.
• Blood orange zest and blood orange juice: Blood orange adds a fresh, citrusy flavor to the cake. You’ll need 1 medium blood orange to get the right amount of zest and juice. Feel free to add more or less orange zest if you like.
• Flour: I use all-purpose flour. Make sure to fluff the flour first then scoop it into your measuring cup. Avoid dredging your cup in the flour. Alternatively, you can weigh your flour with a scale.
• Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of this cake.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Swap out olive oil for canola or vegetable oil.
• If you can’t find blood oranges, use a regular naval orange instead. A cara cara orange can also be used in place of the blood orange.
• Use a 1:1 gluten free flour if you’re gluten-free. I like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour.
• I haven’t tried making this cake without eggs. For a vegan olive oil cake, give this delicious vegan olive oil cake with lemon from My Darling Vegan a try!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Here are the directions on how to make and bake this olive oil cake recipe.

Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, orange zest and eggs til light and fluffy. Whisk in the sour cream and orange juice followed by the olive oil.

Step 3: In the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar for 30 seconds on medium high speed. Gradually pour the olive oil into the bowl in a slow but steady stream followed by the sour cream and the blood orange zest and juice.

Step 4: Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Step 5: Pour the batter into a 9″ round cake pan. Bake 27-31 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.

RECIPE FAQs

EXPERT TIPS

Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you dredge the measuring cup into the flour, the flour will become compact. This can lead to a dry cake.

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients come together more easily.

STORAGE

Room temperature: Store the unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Refrigerator: Store the frosted cake covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. Since the frosting is made with cream cheese, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator.

Freezer: Freeze the unfrosted cake in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost it in the refrigerator or at room temperature. 

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

Natalie

This Blood Orange Olive Oil cake is super rich and moist. It has a fruity, fragrant taste thanks to the olive oil and zest and juice of blood oranges. It's a simple recipe for an impressive, unique cake!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Course Cake

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 -10 slices

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
• ▢ 1 blood orange zested and juiced

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 9" round pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar for 30 seconds on medium high speed. Gradually pour the olive oil into the bowl in a slow but steady stream followed by the sour cream and the blood orange zest and juice.
• Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake 27-31 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake (a few crumbs are okay).
• Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.

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