Eggless Orange Olive Oil Cake

Olive oil cakes have a soft crumb that stays fresh for days, and pairing that with citrus is one of my favorite combinations.

This eggless orange olive oil cake is bright, tender, and full of fresh orange flavor from both the juice and the zest.

It is completely eggless, which makes it a great option if you have an egg allergy, avoid eggs in your diet, or simply ran out of them at home.

You do not need a stand mixer to make the batter, just a bowl and a whisk to bring everything together.

A warm citrus syrup brushed over the top keeps the cake moist, while a simple glaze gives it a sweet finish.

Why You’ll Love It

Incredible Moisture – Extra virgin olive oil and Greek yogurt create a soft crumb that stays fresh and moist for days.

Triple Orange Flavor – Fresh juice and zest in the batter, syrup, and glaze give you bright citrus in every bite.

Super Fluffy Texture – Baking soda and yogurt work together to give this egg-free cake a light, airy rise.

No Mixer Needed – You only need two bowls and a hand whisk to whip up this easy, bakery-quality treat.

Ingredient List

For the Cake

• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp Orange Zest
• 3/4 cup Fresh Orange Juice
• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, Room Temperature
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt

For the Orange Syrup

• 1/4 cup Fresh Orange Juice
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

For the Glaze

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Fresh Orange Juice
• 1 tsp Orange Zest

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips until fragrant and slightly damp.

Step 3

Add the orange juice, yogurt, olive oil and vanilla and whisk until smooth and fully blended.

Step 4

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet mixture, fold gently just until combined and pour into the prepared pan.

Step 5

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6

While the cake bakes, simmer the orange juice and sugar for the syrup for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a skewer and brush the syrup over the top.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 7

Whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest until smooth and thick. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and let it set for 15 minutes before slicing.

Tips

Choose a Mild Olive Oil

You’ll get the best results if you pick an extra virgin olive oil labeled as mild, buttery, or fruity.

Strong, peppery olive oils can easily overpower the fresh citrus in this eggless cake and leave a bitter aftertaste.

A lighter olive oil lets the bright orange flavor shine through while still keeping the crumb super moist.

Spend Extra Time Rubbing the Zest

From my experience, you should rub the orange zest and sugar together with your fingers for a full minute until it looks like damp sand.

The coarse sugar crystals help squeeze out the fragrant citrus oils trapped inside the zest.

This simple trick perfumes the whole batter and gives this eggless cake a deep orange flavor you cannot get from juice alone.

Bring the Greek Yogurt to Room Temperature

Make sure your Greek yogurt is fully at room temperature before you whisk it with the olive oil.

In this eggless recipe, the yogurt acts as a binder and creates the structure that eggs normally provide.

If the yogurt is cold straight from the fridge, the olive oil will firm up and cause the batter to separate.

Try These Next

• Eggless Almond Biscotti
• Eggless Buttery Pound Cake
• Eggless French Madeleines
• Eggless Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
• Eggless Zesty & Tangy Lemon Curd

Questions You Might Have

Will this cake taste heavily of olive oil?

No, the cake will not taste savory or greasy at all.

Extra virgin olive oil works alongside the sugar and citrus to create a subtle, fruity undertone and an exceptionally moist crumb.