This gluten free olive oil cake has the perfect balance of orange and olive oil in a moist sponge. It’s naturally dairy free and easy to make in one bowl. The perfect recipe to impress a crowd!
I tend to associate olive oil with savory recipes, but this gluten free olive oil cake is completely changing the way I approach it!
This cake is moist, with a rich flavor of orange and olive oil and pairs perfectly with my vanilla buttercream or you can top it off with a simple orange glaze. Plus, olive oil is a healthier oil to cook/bake with, so you can feel better knowing you’re making a healthier choice!
It’s so easy to make, and a total crowd pleaser. Top it off with sliced oranges and blood oranges if you really want to impress! If you love this recipe, try my gluten free orange cake or lemon cake next.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- One bowl
- Easy to make
- Naturally dairy free
- Light & fluffy
Key Ingredients
OLIVE OIL. I suggest a high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Because there’s no milk or butter in this recipe, it is naturally dairy free.
ORANGE. We’ll need orange juice, orange zest and orange extract to really create a strong and powerful flavor. If you don’t have orange extract, you can swap for extra orange zest. You can use freshly squeezed orange juice or just orange juice from a carton.
FLOUR. I used the Gluten Free Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, which I recommend here. If you use a different blend, make sure it has xanthan gum.
SUGAR. I use white granulated sugar, which I recommend here. I do not recommend any liquid sweeteners here. You can try coconut sugar, but the cake will be much darker.
EGGS. You need three eggs for this gluten free olive oil cake which will bind all ingredients together and create a really fluffy texture.
How to make gluten free olive oil cake
Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease and line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour. Beat until combined. Transfer to the prepared pan.
Bake in the center of the oven for 48-53 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then unclip the sides of the pan and let cool completely.
For the frosting, I combined about 1 1/2 cups of my homemade buttercream with 1 cup of whipped cream for a light and fluffy frosting, then topped with orange zest. This cake is delicious with or without frosting!
Can I make it dairy free or vegan?
This cake is naturally dairy free! You do not need to make any substitutions to make it dairy free since we’re using olive oil and not butter. However, this recipe contains three eggs and therefore is not vegan.
I do not recommend subbing the eggs for any vegan alternative such as apple sauce, flax eggs or a store bought egg replacer. The texture will end up a bit dense and gummy since it was designed with eggs in mind!
Orange glaze
For the frosting, I combined about 1 1/2 cups of my homemade buttercream with 1 cup of whipped cream. However, you can also make a simple orange glaze by combining 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar with about 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt.
It’s lighter than a traditional buttercream and will seep into the cake really beautifully and give it a super moist texture.
How to store
Once prepared, this gluten free olive oil cake will keep for about 3-5 days at room temperature. You can store it in the fridge, but the texture will firm up a bit as it sits.
You can definitely prep this cake ahead of time and freeze it before slicing and serving. To do so, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap (several layers) and place in the freezer until you’re ready to frost and serve.
Let it thaw at room temperature, then frost and serve as usual. The texture and flavor should hold up beautifully.
The best pan
For this recipe you need a 9 inch springform pan, which is traditionally use for cheesecake. This cake rises pretty significantly, so I do not recommend using a regular 9 inch cake pan as it is likely to overflow.
More gluten free cake recipes!
- Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Gluten Free Strawberry Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten Free Coffee Cake
Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below!
Gluten Free Orange Olive Oil Cake
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- 3 eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups white sugar
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon orange extract see notes
Dry
- 2 cups gluten free all purpose baking flour
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- Grease and line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients.
- Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour.
- Beat until combined.
- Transfer to the prepared pan.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 45-53 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, then unclip the sides of the pan and let cool completely.
- For the frosting, I combined about 1 1/2 cups of my homemade buttercream with 1 cup of whipped cream for a light and fluffy frosting, then topped with orange zest. This cake is delicious with or without frosting! A simple orange glaze consisting of powered sugar and orange juice would also be delicious.
Kristi says
If I wanted to make this lemon instead of orange, would I sub the juice and zest at the same measurements?
Claire Cary says
Lemon is more potent so I would sub the 1/2 cup of orange juice for 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup milk, then do about 2 tablespoons of zest and 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract! Let me know how it turns out.