Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

Perfect for springtime celebration, this blood orange olive oil cake is as delicious as it is gorgeous. Dense and moist like a pound cake, the ricotta cheese and olive oil make this cake unique and delicious.

Don’t let the olive oil fool you, this blood orange olive oil cake is moist and flavorful. The blood orange juice creates the perfect pink colored glaze, while the blood orange olive oil and ricotta create a soft, moist cake.

Olive oil cakes are simply made as any other cake. You’re essentially swapping out the regular vegetable oil in a cake for olive oil. I find that olive oil also gives the cake a much richer color as well.

Ingredients needed

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 Tbsp. blood orange zest – divided
• 1/2 cup blood orange olive oil
• 1/4 cup + 3-4 Tbsp. fresh blood orange juice – divided
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

How to make a blood orange olive oil cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a bundt cake pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, vanilla, 2 Tbsp. blood orange zest, blood orange olive oil, and 1/4 cup blood orange juice and whisk to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Gently toss with your hand to combine.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until completely combined.
6. Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.
7. Let the cake sit for about 5 minutes in the pan, then carefully invert and release from the pan onto a cooling rack.
8. While the cake is cooling, prepare the blood orange glaze. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. blood orange zest, 3-4 Tbsp. blood orange juice, and a pinch of salt. You can use either a hand whisk or use a hand mixer until completely smooth. If the glaze is dry, add additional blood orange juice one teaspoon at a time.
9. Once the cake is completely cooled, transfer to a cake stand or serving platter. Give the cake a little dusting of powdered sugar, then drizzle the glaze over the entire cake.

Recipe FAQs

What does olive oil cake taste like?

Olive oil cake does not taste like olives! I promise you that. High-quality extra-virgin olive oils have a very mild flavor, and this blood orange olive has a very mild flavor while also having that infused blood orange flavor present. Olive oil cake tastes very similar to pound cake but without the dense texture. Olive oil cakes are light and fluffy.

What is blood orange olive oil?

Blood orange olive oil is a flavor-infused olive oil made with olives and blood oranges.

Why does my olive oil cake seem dense?

This cake is dense, much like a pound cake, so it will not rise as much as a normal bundt cake. No need to be alarmed!

Kitchen resources for this recipe

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Enjoy these other Springtime desserts!

• Cherry Clafoutis – a custard pie classic
• Gluten-free Key Lime Bars – an easy gluten-free dessert bar
• Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Tart – a beautiful citrus tart
• 25 Gluten-Free Easter Dessert Recipes – a collection of delicious gluten-free desserts for Easter, Mother’s Day, or any springtime occasion.