Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake
Super soft and flavorful cake with bright notes of orange and cardamom. This cake is filled with healthy fats and is the perfect way to use up those excess oranges! While this is perfect for anytime of the year, it’s especially great in the fall and winter—perfect for orange season!
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Right now, I’m dreaming of a world without COVID. I’m soooooooo done with all of this. I’m still being careful, don’t worry. In fact I’ve increased my safety measures in my classroom for the time being. But I’m just so over wearing a mask (I’m wearing an N95 mask as I type this) and so done with not being able to just go do normal things.
But I also don’t want to get COVID again. It’s a horrible paradox.
Okay, rant over. The pandemic has nothing to do with this recipe, but it’s what’s on my mind and I figured you may feel the same way. And maybe in a year or two, I’ll look bak on this recipe and laugh at how much the pandemic took up our lives. One can hope.
Now, for cake. This cake! I altered my orange olive oil cake to include cardamom and a hint of cinnamon, and wow. WOW. It’s so, so good. Even though there’s a whole cup of olive oil in this cake, it’s surprisingly light. I think the whipping has a lot to do with that. Plus it’s fairly low in sugar and flour, meaning it’s not heavy—just soft.
I really love the warming flavors of orange and cardamom together. It’s such a perfect cake for cold winter mornings. And that pop of orange gives some brightness, hinting at the warm weather to come.
Weren’t we just begging for cooler weather and a break from the heat?
Anyway, I’m pretty sure I’ll be making a variation of this cake every orange season for years to come. It’s just that good.
Why this recipe works
This cake doesn’t actually call for very much sugar. It’s full of flavor, so it doesn’t need it. Instead, it’s incredibly moist, thanks to the full cup of olive oil. And it uses quite a bit of orange zest and some orange juice, to get that bright orange flavor we all could use right now. The cardamom complements the orange flavor perfectly—not too much, but enough to bring some warm, exotic flavors. The real key for this cake is the whisking stage. You whip it with a whisk attachment for quite some time, which keeps it from being short or dense or heavy. And the combination of olive oil and milk helps keep it moist for daysssss.
Key ingredients
Sugar. Not too much—you don’t need it in this cake!
Orange zest. Be sure to finely grate it or chop it if your zester isn’t similar to a microplane zester.
Flour. Be sure you spoon then level it, so it’s not packed in, and always sift with a fine mesh sieve.
Baking powder. Be sure it’s fresh or the cake won’t rise.
Salt. Sea salt is ideal!
Cardamom. Be sure this is fresh and finely ground. If you aren’t a big fan, you can cut back on it a bit.
Cinnamon. Not too much—just enough to complement the cardamom.
Eggs. Be sure these are fresh and room temperature.
Oil. Use a high quality olive oil! One that’s good for dipping in bread is ideal, as the flavor is best for this cake.
Milk. Try to use whole milk and make sure it’s room temperature.
Orange juice. I prefer freshly squeezed, since I already need oranges for the zest. Just use a mesh sieve to strain out any pulp, then ensure you have the correct amount of filtered juice afterward.
How to make orange cardamom olive oil cake
1. Zest your oranges. Be sure the zest is finely grated. I like to use a microplane zester.
2. Mix with sugar. Stir until fragrant to release the oils.
3. Sift then whisk dry ingredients. Sifting is key to keep the cake from being dense.
4. Whisk eggs and oil. Make sure they are fully emulsified (so well, well blended).
5. Add sugar and whisk. Again, whisk well and follow the times given. This helps give a good rise and soft texture to the cake.
6. Whisk in milk and juice. This time you can mix until well-combined.
7. Gently mix in flour. It’s okay if there are a few lumps.
9. Bake. Bake until a toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs—not clean.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Can I sub another oil?
Yes, but I wouldn’t. Part of the appeal of this cake is the pairing of orange and olive oil. If you don’t have a good olive oil on hand, you could sub something like avocado or grape seed. I’d avoid vegetable or canola, as those have an entirely different flavor and will not result in the same luscious cake.
What if I don’t have fresh oranges?
You can use store-bought orange juice, but you won’t get quite as vibrant a flavor. The zest is key in this cake, and without it, you’re going to just get a hint of orange. Luckily, it’s currently orange season and there’s likely someone you know with an orange tree just dying to get rid of some!
Can I make this without cardamom?
Yes! However, in that case, I’d just make my orange olive oil cake (with chocolate orange sauce) in a bundt pan (bake time will be reduced). Both are delicious ways to use up oranges!
Can I make this in a regular pan?
Yes! You can use an 8” or 9” pan instead. You just need to make absolute certain it’s tall enough, around 3”. The average 8” and 9” cake pan is only 2” tall, and that’s not enough for this cake. I suggest a springform pan, as those are usually at least 3” deep and do make it easier to remove the cake once it’s baked.
How do I grease a bundt pan?
This isn’t the easiest, but I’ve found that using soft butter and a paper towel really helps. Then, you can sprinkle flour and tap it around the pan like usual. Or, another option is baking spray! I usually get Pam at our local store, but this brand is a little on the healthier/environmentally friendly side.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this cake. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a fluffy cake)
All-rubber spatula (this makes scraping the bowl easier as the batter and frosting doesn’t get all over a wooden handle!)
Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake
- prep time: 10-15 minutes
- bake time: 50-60 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
servings: 12-16
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225g) granulated sugar
- grated zest from 2-3 medium oranges (about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons)
- 2 cups (272g) all-purpose flour, spooned then leveled
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sea salt
- 1 slightly rounded teaspoon (6g) baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (3g) ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (224g) high quality olive oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (160g) freshly squeezed orange juice (pulp removed)
- optional: powdered sugar or one batch chocolate orange sauce, to top the cake
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325F/165C (this is a must for this cake—it cooks low and slow). Prepare a 9”-10” bundt pan (that can fit up to 12 cups) by greasing with butter and flour or with baking spray.
- Combine sugar and zest and stir until thoroughly coated and the citrus aroma is released. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a fine mesh sieve, sift then whisk flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using the whisk attachment of a hand mixer), mix eggs and oil on high for 1 minute to emulsify the oil. Add the sugar/zest mixture. Mix on high until well-combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and orange juice. Mix on medium until combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix on low just until combined. I suggest mixing for about 10 seconds, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula, then mixing again for a few seconds.
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted to the very bottom comes out clean. Check around 40 minutes, since different climates/ovens can cause the bake time to vary. Let cool about 10 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate orange sauce before serving.
Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container. They should last 5-7 days, if well-sealed.
