This rustic Orange & Rosemary Olive Oil Cake is a sweet, fragrant and tangy Italian-inspired cake. The citrus flavor is refreshing and light, making this cake perfect for a morning tea or a summer dessert. Rosemary may sound unusual but its herbal fragrance works surprisingly well in sweet dishes. Olive oil instead of butter makes the cake very moist, bouncy and vegan friendly.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Vegan, nut free and soy free: Many orange olive oil cakes are made with almond flour, but this one is made with all-purpose flour. It’s also vegan and soy free.
- Light and refreshing: It’s not often I’d call a cake ‘refreshing’ but there’s something about the blend of orange zest and rosemary that makes this cake feel very summery. Being made with olive oil also helps give it a bouncy, soft texture, unlike some more dense and classic cakes like chocolate or fruit cake.
- Easy to make: I am very much a novice when it comes to sweet baking so trust me when I say this is an easy cake to make. You simply combine all the dry ingredients with the wet, bake, then pour the icing over the top.
- Suits lots of occasions: Because this is quite a light cake, its delicate flavor and moist texture make it perfect for a daytime treat or dessert. It would be great at a picnic, for morning or afternoon tea or as a light dessert after an Italian meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need any unusual ingredients to make this cake and it’s quite affordable too. It’s made with regular all-purpose flour, orange zest, orange juice (fresh is better but you can get away with bottled), rosemary and olive oil, plus a few other regular baking staples. You’ll want to use fresh rosemary, chopped very finely. Dried just won’t have the same rich, herbal fragrance. If you’re in Australia, you’ll find that rosemary grows practically like a weed in most people’s yards, so it should be easy to pinch a couple of sprigs without bothering anybody ha. I am not known for my patience with anything, especially gardening, and I have even managed to successfully grow two large healthy rosemary bushes in our little backyard garden patch.
It’s also worth noting that the flavor of the olive oil does come through in this recipe so I recommend using a light or mild variety. Personally, classic olive oil is too peppery and robust for my taste – if this is the only olive oil available, try using half olive oil and half vegetable oil to balance the flavor.
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Fresh rosemary
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Fresh orange juice
- Orange zest
- Oat milk
- Powdered sugar
If you need to swap an ingredient, scroll further down this post to see my suggested substitutions.
Instructions
Making this cake is so simple. It’s back to basics, with no electric beaters or stand mixers required. Just a good old fashioned wooden spoon, bowl and a baking tray. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make it:
Step One: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, rosemary, and salt in a bowl.
Step Two: Create a well in the dry mixture and add olive oil, oat milk, orange juice, and zest. Stir until smooth.
Step Three: Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin.
Step Four: Bake until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
Step Five: Mix powdered sugar with orange juice until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Step Six: Pour the icing over the cooled cake.
Step Seven: Allow the icing to set completely before slicing.
Substitutions & Variations
If you need to make a swap for this, here are some alternatives I recommend:
- Olive Oil: I recommend using a light or mild olive oil as the flavor really comes through the cake. If you only have classic olive oil, try using a mix of this and a vegetable oil blend (or a neutral oil like sunflower or canola) for a milder flavor. Olive oil can be substituted entirely for vegetable oil if this is all you have on hand.
- Oat Milk: You can use any kind of milk you’d like. Almond, soy or rice milk will all work, or if you’re not vegan, dairy milk will also work.
- Orange Juice: If you can’t be bothered squeezing the oranges (I feel you) then you can use store bought juice (unsweetened). I’ve tried it with regular grocery bottled juice (Golden Circle) and it still tasted lovely. You will still need at least one fresh orange to get the zest though – this is essential for that orange-oil fragrance.
- Oranges: Can be replaced with blood oranges.
- Fresh Rosemary: I really recommend using fresh rosemary as it has so much more fragrance than dried. If you only have dried rosemary available, bruise it in a mortar and pestle, or mince it to help bring out the herbal fragrance. I would also increase the quantity by 1 additional teaspoon to compensate.
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you live in a hot or tropical climate, keep it in the fridge. Note the icing may become sticky when refrigerated. For best results, allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving. If you prefer, you can briefly warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
Expert Tips
To ensure a moist cake, avoid overmixing the batter and be quick to transfer the batter into the baking tray. The orange juice will begin to react with the baking powder as soon as they are combined. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before transferring to a rack to maintain its shape.
FAQ
You can use a vegetable oil blend instead of olive oil for a milder flavor profile.
Yes, you can freeze the cake by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. I recommend freezing without the icing and making that fresh to serve. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Fresh is better but bottled juice will also work, just make sure it is unsweetened and 100% orange juice.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
Looking for more dessert ideas? Some of my other favorites that are perfect for a sweet treat include lemon drizzle cake and almond biscotti.
Well, I hope you love this light Italian-inspired Orange Olive Oil and Rosemary cake! It’s giving summer-in-Tuscany vibes to me. Please let me know what you think of by leaving a star rating and review below. I am very grateful to everybody who leaves one as it really helps to boost my content online and is the best way to say thank you. I read every comment and would really like to know what you think. Oh and if you take any photos, feel free to tag me in your posts on Instagram – I am @glowdiaries___. I am always so pleased to see what you’re cooking and I will re-share your posts to my stories 🙂
Orange Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups All purpose flour (270g)
- 1 cup Granulated sugar (200g)
- 2 tsp Baking powder (8g)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda (3g)
- 1 tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary (4g)
- ½ tsp Salt (3g)
- ½ cup Olive oil (120ml)
- 7 tbsp Fresh orange juice (105ml)
- 1 tbsp Orange zest (6g)
- 3/4 cup Oat milk (180ml)
Icing:
- ¾ cup Powdered sugar (100g)
- 1-2 tbsp Fresh orange juice 15-30ml
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F/175 C. Grease a 8”/20cm round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chopped rosemary, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute.
- Make a well in the center and add oil, oat milk, orange juice, and orange zest.
- Stir until smooth. Scrape into the prepared pan. Place in the oven immediately as the orange juice and baking soda will begin reacting.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown on the edges and skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Make the icing.
- In a measuring cup or other vessel with a pour spout, combine the powdered sugar with orange juice until icing is at a pourable consistency.
- Pour over cake, tilting the cake to evening spread the icing around the top and start dripping down the sides.
- Allow to cool and set completely before cutting into 8-10 slices.
- Best the same day but can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The icing will get sticky after being stored in the fridge.
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