Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake Recipe with Berries & Mascarpone (2024)

FAQs

Which olive oil is best for baking cakes? ›

Extra virgin olive oil is a great substitute for butter or other fats when baking cakes. It gives cakes a wonderfully moist texture and a light, subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with other ingredients like fresh fruit and nuts.

Why It Works. High-quality olive oil ensures a cake that is rich, flavorful, and moist. The thick texture of buttermilk provides structure to the batter for a cake that's tangy and light. The subtle aroma of lemon zest and orange flower water adds dimension to the cake and elevates the character of the olive oil.

Sunflower oil is more flavor neutral than olive oil and thus is appropriate for situations (such as baking certain recipes) where you might not want to taste the oil. On the other hand, you should definitely reach for olive oil if you want to get that classic, fresh flavor.

Because this cake is so simple, it's important to use high-quality ingredients–typically, extra virgin olive oil is used for the stronger flavor.

Several things could contribute to a dense olive oil cake, including overmixing the batter, using too much flour, or not incorporating enough air into the batter during mixing.

Did you know that it takes more than 1,300 olives to produce a single 32-ounce bottle of olive oil? Meanwhile, one innocent little tablespoon of olive oil is the fat equivalent of about 45 olives (and a black hole of nutritional nothingness). Some olive-oil lovers out there like to say, “Hey, wait a minute, Rip.

All cooking oils have what is called a "smoke point," the temperature at which the oil starts to break down and smoke. And where there's smoke, there will soon be fire. This is why extra virgin olive oil, which has a low smoke point of 350°F to 410°F, shouldn't be used for high heat cooking, especially frying.

If substituting olive oil for vegetable oil (or another cooking oil) in your baking recipe, you can use a 1:1 ratio. Because of olive oil's distinct flavor, it might affect the flavor of the baked product.

Your olive oil cake will keep well for 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If frosted, it needs to be kept refrigerated. Let the cake cool fully before storing.

If you have too much liquid or too much fat in your cake batter, this can result in a cake with a weak structure which can cause it to sink in the middle.

What happens if you put olive oil in cake mix? ›

Olive oil leaves your cake sponge incredibly delicate, moist, and spongy and removes the chance of the sponge being heavy or dense. The swap from vegetable to olive oil is a very simple one and is one you should make, for both flavor and health reasons.

Best Oils for Baking

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

Canola oil is the most popular baking oil as it's stable at high temperatures, is cost-effective and has a very natural flavour. It also has only 7% saturated fat and contains omega-3s. Choose organic where possible even if it's a little more pricey.

Is Canola Oil Better than Olive Oil? No. Canola oil is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, making it technically a heart-healthy option. Olive oil, on the other hand, is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, making it a better choice for reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

"Almond oil or olive oil or jojoba oil," she tells Kardashian of her preferred oils, admitting that, like so many of us, she used to mispronounce jojoba.

Baking a cake with olive oil might seem like an estranged concept, but we highly recommend it. Olive oil leaves your cake sponge incredibly delicate, moist, and spongy and removes the chance of the sponge being heavy or dense.

Why does oil give cake superior texture? Butter is 18% water, so when the batter is baked, some of its liquid evaporates. Replacing the water from the butter with oil means there's more fat left in the cakes to ensure tenderness.