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Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
April 28, 2026
The first time I encountered olive oil cake was at Capezzana, an olive oil- and wine-producing estate in Tuscany. Olive oil cake was the house cook's signature morning dessert. I had never heard of such a thing and it sounded strange to me, but when I took a bite, it made perfect sense. It was a very simple sponge-type cake in which the butter had been replaced by olive oil, and it was delicious. Since it's all about the olive oil, the better the quality, the better the cake. For drizzling over the gelato, this is the time to bring out the best olive oil you have — and use Olio Nuovo when it's in season.
What You Need — The Essential Special Equipment
Small decorative molds (2-tablespoon to ¼-cup capacity) or tart pans with removable bottoms (I used Nordic Ware Bundt Charms, which have a 2-tablespoon capacity)
In this Recipe
Ingredients
Unbleached Pastry Flour (or All-Purpose Flour) 247.5 grams (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
Granulated Sugar 300 grams (1½ cups)
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda ½ teaspoon
Baking Powder ½ teaspoon
Whole Milk 367.5 grams (1½ cups)
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 337.5 grams (1½ cups)
Extra-Large Eggs 3
Medium Orange 1
Fresh Rosemary (chopped) 2 tablespoons
Steps
- Sift the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together into a large wide bowl. Whisk the milk, olive oil, and eggs together in a separate large bowl.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients with your hands. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the well and use a whisk to draw the dry ingredients from the edges to the center into a thick paste. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk to combine. (If the batter is lumpy, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve to strain out the lumps.) Using a fine Microplane, grate the zest (the bright-orange outer layer) of the orange into the bowl. (Reserve the orange for another use.) Add the rosemary and stir to incorporate it. Transfer the batter to a pitcher or another vessel that is easy to pour from.
- Adjust an oven rack to the center position. Put the molds on a large baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and preheat the molds and the oven to 350°F for at least 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Working quickly so they don't cool and taking care not to burn yourself, coat the molds with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the molds. (Alternatively, use a measuring cup or scoop to fill the molds to the rim with batter.)
- Return the baking sheet with the molds to the center rack of the oven and bake the cakes until they are deep golden brown and firm to the touch, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the baking sheet front to back halfway through the baking time so the cakes brown evenly.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and gently bang the molds on the countertop to loosen the cakes. Invert the cakes onto the cold baking sheet and turn them upright.
- Repeat to bake more batches.
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