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Overhead shot of the almond olive oil cake fresh out of the oven in a springform pan.

Almond Olive Oil Cake

A tender and fragrant almond olive oil cake made with citrus zest, orange juice, and a light whisked batter. It stays moist for days, finishes beautifully with a brown-butter almond glaze, and feels like a classic Italian family dessert.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Coffee Cake, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
Optional Brown Butter Almond Glaze
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • Splash of milk 1–2 tbsp
  • Squeeze of lemon
  • 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. Tap out extra flour and set aside.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until combined.
  2. Add the sugar and whisk for about 30 seconds until glossy.
  3. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking. The mixture should thicken slightly.
  4. Whisk in the lemon zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, and orange juice.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
  1. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
Combine
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl.
  2. Whisk just until the batter is smooth and no dry spots remain. Do not overmix.
Bake
  1. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  2. Bake 30–45 minutes, rotating halfway through.
  3. The cake is done when the edges pull slightly from the pan, the center springs back, and a tester comes out clean.
Cool
  1. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes.
  2. Unmold and cool completely on a rack.
Brown Butter Almond Glaze (Optional)
  1. Melt butter in a pan and cook until lightly browned and nutty, about 3–4 minutes.
  2. Whisk with confectioners’ sugar, a splash of milk, and a little lemon juice.
  3. Fold in toasted sliced almonds.
  4. Spread over the cooled cake and let it set.

Notes

  • Use mild, good-quality olive oil. Strong or peppery oil can overwhelm the flavor.
  • Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly and help keep the crumb light.
  • This cake tastes even better the next day as the citrus and almond flavors settle.
  • Blanched almond flour gives a softer crumb; natural almond flour adds a rustic look.