This pumpkin Olive Oil Cake is made with pumpkin puree and extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil is the reason for this soft and moist cake. Topped with aromatic rose water and lemon icing, it has a delicious fruity flavor.
Disclosure: Goya sent me three of their extra virgin olive oil products (through the Meatless Monday movement). No monetary compensation was provided. All opinions and notes are my own.
Can you believe I baked a cake using my own original recipe?
I had to pinch myself several times to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Despite being baking-challenged, I baked this moist, soft, and airy cake. No one can tell that it’s a vegan olive oil cake recipe. It’s now one of my favorite cakes.
Tips for making this vegan cake
– Use a bread pan instead of a cake pan for a more softer cake recipe. I also like my cakes “taller” and not “wider” which is why I used the bread pan. My pan is (affiliate link) 5.75″ x 3″ from Amazon.
– I used all-purpose flour instead of cake flour. I find it easier to work with, but, you can also use cake flour or pastry flour
– I went easy on the sugar in this recipe because my icing was sweet. You can adjust the sugar level by tasting the batter
– The best way to bake this cake is to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately.
– I used a (Affiliate Link) loaf pan to bake this delicious cake, but you can also use a (Affiliate Link) springform pan. Use a bundt pan or any 9-inch cake pan.
– About 5 minutes before the cake is done, you can place thin slices of oranges on top of the cake. It gives it a nice texture and design to the cake
– If you don’t want the rose water in the icing, you can add it to the cake mix. Or, you can do what I did and add it to both. Did you know that you can make your very own rose hip syrup to use in this recipe?
– Alternative to almond milk is oat milk, non-dairy milk, soy milk, or any plant-based milk of choice.
– You can also make it gut friendly. Try Chenee Today’s gluten free Olive Oil Cake using gluten-free flour.
Why I love this olive oil pumpkin cake
Take a look at the perfect texture of this olive oil cake! It’s light and airy.
Plus, it’s all vegan!
The best part is that I didn’t need to use eggs in this recipe. The olive oil does the job of the egg which is awesome!
I also used almond milk instead of heavy creams or milk. The almond milk gives this pumpkin olive oil cake the softness and that practically melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Even before you taste it, you get a wonderful whiff of pumpkin, vanilla, and roses. That’s because I used the rose water in it which I had left over from my roasted vegetable recipe from last year.
Do not skip the rose water because it makes this recipe taste heavenly!
Olive oil cake origin
Baking with olive oil has been a tradition for centuries. Mediterranean countries, Italy, and even Spain have used it for generations to bake scrumptious desserts
Olive oil producing countries have long since used it in their baking because it makes the dessert very sweet. They are used in breads, cakes, and all kinds of desserts
My recipe is a blend of Spanish, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s also inspired, in part, by Short Girl, Tall Order’s recipe.
❓ Answering Common Questions
No, not at all. The olive oil doesn’t add flavor to this cake. It’s mostly here as a replacement for the eggs. It gives this cake a very spongy and moist texture. Plus it’s a very dense cake.
This cake is moist and delicious, without eggs, because the olive oil does a great job of bringing all the ingredients together. It acts as the binding agent and gives the cake that characteristic spongy texture. If you use eggs in your baking, try this easy Japanese-style mini soufflé cheesecake recipe by Little Bit Recipes. Or, you can make a straight-up, delicious vegan pumpkin spice cake where you won’t miss the eggs!
– Chia Egg
– Unsweetened applesauce
– Apple butter
– (Affiliate Link) Egg replacer
– Mashed bananas
If you have leftover pumpkin puree, check out how I preserve it and use it all year round. And, if you love this vegan dessert, I have a collection of the best vegan desserts!
How to bake this cake
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°
1) In a large bowl, sieve 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour.
2) Sieve the vegan sugar in the same large mixing bowl. It’s not necessary to sieve the sugar; I did it because my sugar had clumps.
3) Add the baking powder, salt, and baking soda to the sieve.
4) Now, add the wet ingredients -> ¼ cup of fresh orange juice.
5) Add ½ cup of the extra-virgin olive oil.
6) Add ½ cup of pumpkin puree to the bowl and mix.
7) Add ¾ cup of almond milk. The image shows a half-cup measuring cup, but, I added more after that.
8) Optional: Add ⅛ tsp vanilla extract or essence and ⅛ tsp rose water to the batter. Mix the cake batter well and set aside.
9) Lightly oil two 5.75″ x 3″ pan. Or, you can use parchment paper.
10) Slowly pour the wet batter into the pan. Fill it up about ¾ of the way. Use the remainder in the 2nd pan.
11) Place the prepared pan in the oven on the bottom wire rack and let the cake rise to above the container. The baking time will be about 40-45 minutes.
12) At about the 35-minute mark, gently pierce the side or center of the cake with a toothpick or butter knife. If it comes out clean with no liquid on it, the cake is ready.
13) Turn off the heat, but, do not remove the cake from the oven. You can move it to the top rack. Keep the oven door closed and the cake in there for about 5 more minutes.
Making the Icing
Prepare the icing by adding (affiliate link) ½cup vegan powdered sugar and 1½ Tbsp of almond milk into a medium bowl. Mix in ⅛ tsp of vanilla essence and ⅛ tsp of good quality rose water.
Let the cake cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Drizzle this lemon glaze on top of the cake and set it aside for about 10 minutes before serving!
Optional -> For best results, garnish with orange zest or lemon zest. You can even put lemon slices on top of the cake before baking it.
Get the printable recipe card below.
How to serve this cake
This olive oil cake can be considered a coffee cake! That means that it can be served with coffee at any time. It’s a great Mother’s Day brunch recipe or serve it as a birthday cake.
It tastes so good with frappucinos or Macchiatos. There is something so delicious about coffee and olive oil cake!
If you love to dress it up, top it with a blueberry crumble!
Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container like these glass storage containers with lids. You can also plastic wrap the leftovers before refrigerating.
Try these dessert recipes
- Air fryer snowball cookies – This is a super easy way to make snowball cookies (AKA Italian wedding cookies).
- Vegan French toast pudding – This is one of my favorite holiday desserts. It’s made with simple ingredients and so easy.
- Cranberry loaf – This loaf is similar to my olive oil cake, but it’s made with a chia egg. It’s also a great coffee cake and great for the holiday season.
Sharing is caring
Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this vegan orange olive oil cake recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it 5 stars and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram
Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
For the Olive Oil Cake
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour see notes
- 1/2 cup vegan sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice free of pulp and seeds
- 1/2 cup Goya Organics Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/8 tsp vanilla essence optional
- 1/8 tsp rose water optional
- Oil to grease the pan
For the Icing
- 1/2 cup vegan powdered sugar see notes
- 1.5 Tbsp almond milk
- 1/8 tsp vanilla essence optional
- 1/8 tsp rose water optional
- 1/2 tsp Orange Zest optional
Instructions
To Bake the Cake
- Preheat Oven to 350°
- In a large bowl, sieve the unbleached all purpose flour
- Add vegan sugar
- Add baking powder, salt and baking soda
- Add fresh orange juice
- Add Goya Organics Premium Olive Oil
- Add pumpkin puree to the bowl and mix
- Add almond milk
- Optional: Add 1/8 tsp vanilla essence and 1/8 tsp rose water to the batter
- Mix well and set aside
- Lightly oil two 5.75″ x 3″ pan
- Slowly pour the cake batter into the pan
- Fill it up about 3/4 of the way. Use the remainder in the 2nd pan
- Smooth top of the cake and gently tap the pan on a flat surface to remove air bubbles
- Place the pans in the oven on the bottom rack
- At about the 35 minute mark, gently pierce the side of the cake with a toothpick
- If it comes out clean with no liquid on it, the cake is ready.
- Turn off the heat, but, do not remove the cake from the oven.
- Move cake to the top rack and keep the oven door closed for about 5 more min
- Let it cool to room temperature
To make the Icing
- In a small bowl add the vegan powdered sugar and almond milk
- Add vanilla essence and rose water to the bowl; Mix well
- Drizzle the icing on top of the cake and set it aside for about 10 minutes
- Serve with milk or coffee
