Honey-Olive Oil Cake

Abigail Schmitt
Jun 19, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jun 30, 2024

The most requested across all of my different menus is this Honey Olive Oil Cake - a simple but lavish and decadent dessert (or breakfast cake, which I absolutely condone). I've made this as a single or double layered wedding cake or made into mini cakes for custom tasting menus. Garnished with blackberry mascarpone frosting, or just a lemon glaze and florals, this cake has impressed even the most avid anti-cake people. Choose a fresh olive oil and don't feel bad if you need to substitute a little butter or different kind of milk. I don't label myself a baker or pastry artist of any sort, but this recipe is nearly foolproof. I started making a form of this recipe while working in NYC at Wildair, and it has since evolved into this favorite!

Cake Recipe

Makes two 9" cakes / Serves 12-16

Preparation time: 15+ mins / Cook time: 45+ mins

Serve at room temperature! Cover and save for 1 - 2 days. Refrigerate or freeze to save for longer. The olive oil gives both the cake and you a longer and better life.

Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour	400g
Salt	12g / 2 ts
Baking Powder	1 teaspoon
Baking Soda	2 teaspoons
Sugar	200g
Honey	200g
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)	320g
Whole Milk / non-dairy (rice/oat)	430g
Whole Eggs	6ea
Orange Juice	80 g / 2 ea
Orange Zest	2-4 TB / 2 ea
Amaro or Bourbon (high proof alcohol - I've used Madeira, Amaro, Bourbon, Chartreuse...)	40g
Miso	20g / 2TB

Method (basically: mix the wet, mix the dry, mix the dry into the wet)

Preheat oven to 345 F / 174 C.
Cream (whisk) the olive oil, honey + sugar together with an electric mixer or just mix well by hand.
Beat eggs in 1 by 1.
Mix the miso with orange juice and bourbon (I like use a spatula or fork to break up the miso)
Add milk to miso mixture and then stream into olive oil mixture, whisking until emulsified (or homogenous).
Mix baking powder, baking soda and salt into the flour.
Add the flour mixture into the EVOO mixture little by little and whisk until smooth.
Divide the cake batter into two 9" cake pans, sprayed with nonstick spray and parchment round on the bottom or dusted with flour.
Bake in the center of the oven (low/no fan) at 345 F / 174 C for 40-45 mins or until cake tester / toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool on a rack for 15 mins. Run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edge of the pan and remove. Finish cooling and frost + decorate.