This olive oil cake is flavored with lime zest and is similar to a pound cake. It’s a great cake to serve for breakfast and brunch, dessert, or as an afternoon snack.
I am currently obsessed with buying cookbooks, which is where I got the idea to make this olive oil cake. I’ve already made the Sweet and Salty Brownies from Baked Expectations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented and I wanted to try another fabulous recipe from the authors, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. After flipping through the book, I chose Mom’s Olive Oil Orange Bundt.
Interestingly, the cake is listed under the breakfast section, but I think this cake is sweet enough for a mid-afternoon snack or dessert. Normally I like to try recipes as they are written before fiddling around, but in this case, I made a few adjustments.
Olive Oil Cake
Olive Oil CakeFlavor
Like other types of oil, you can use olive oil to make the cake. This recipe calls for extra-virgin olive oil which gives the cake a lot of flavor because it has a much stronger flavor than vegetable or canola oil. You can substitute regular olive oil, but the flavor will be lighter.
The original recipe uses orange zest for a citrus flavor, but I substitute lime zest because that’s what I had on hand. I also added some of the lime juice to the batter. The lime pairs really well with the olive oil and adds a bit of tartness that’s a nice contrast to the sweet cake.
The cake is also made with Greek yogurt which gives it a tangy flavor and moistness.
Texture
This cake has a tight crumb, like a pound cake. I expected something much lighter because to make the batter you have to separate the eggs and fold in whipped egg whites, which will usually make the cake texture spongier. However, it is still delicious– just different from what I was initially expecting.
The cake came out very pleasant. I’m usually not a huge fan of citrus cakes but I liked this one just fine. The one thing that surprised me was that the texture was a little dense, like a pound cake. I expected something much lighter because the recipe requires you to separate the eggs and fold in whipped egg whites, which will usually make the cake texture spongier. I saw several olive oil cake recipes that do not require you to separate the eggs. I will have to try one of them out next time to compare the difference in texture.
If you want more cake recipes be sure to check out my Sour Cream Pound Cake, Pure Nutella Cake, and Low Fat Pound Cake recipes!
Olive Oil Lime Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs separated
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly grated zest of 2 limes
- Fresh squeezed lime juice from 2 limes
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar sifted, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray and flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- With a paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks until they are pale and light; slowly pour in the sugar until it is completely incorporated. Add the yogurt and olive oil and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the lime zest, lime juice and vanilla, and mix until just incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts, beating after each addition until just combined (about 10 seconds). Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 5 seconds.
- In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Scoop 1 cup of the egg whites into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in. After about 30 seconds of folding, add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until they are almost completely combined. Do not rush the folding process.
- Pour the batter into pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.
Notes
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Really delicious. I made sure to weigh out the flour to make sure it wasn’t more than 3 cups in weight (1 cup = 120 grams). I wanted to ensure the cake wasn’t too heavy/dense. I also sifted the flour. I added some chopped basil as well and cut the sugar to about 1.5 cups.
We’re glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your tips, too.
I’ve made this twice. The first time was with limes, as the recipe calls for, but instead of powdered sugar I made a coconut glaze and then sprinkled on some toasted coconut. It was amazing! The second time I tried oranges but it wasn’t quite as good (it was still really good though – the texture is beautiful). I think the tanginess of the yogurt pairs really well with the slight bitterness of the lime zest so you get more flavor. I’ll stick with limes for this recipe and save the oranges for a different recipe I have that doesn’t use yogurt.
I’m glad you enjoyed this. The coconut glaze sounds wonderful!
Recipe sent! 😉
Thanks!
In Spain it’s quite usual to use olive oil in cakes and muffins, it gives a distinctive and rich flavor. There’s this 1-2-3 olive oil and yogurt cake recipe that a work colleague shared with me and it’s very easy to follow, just let me know if you’re interested in trying the recipe 😉
I would love it if you could share the recipe! I like using olive oil though I don’t do it often. I don’t come across many recipes that use olive oil.
Beautiful photos! Even if it turned out more dense than you expected, it’s the taste that matters, right? 😉 Love the olive oil + citrus combo in this cake.
Yes, it tasted delicious. I didn’t mind the dense texture- I just wasn’t expecting it. I really enjoyed it though.