I keep seeing people say you can't bake a good cake with olive oil, but my family's recipe from Sicily proves them wrong.

Every time someone posts a cake recipe here, the comments go wild if they see olive oil. People say it's too strong, it'll make it taste savory, or it's just for bread. My nonna's orange almond cake uses a full cup of extra virgin, and it's the most moist, fragrant cake I've ever had. The key is using a good, mild oil and pairing it with strong flavors like citrus or nuts. I've made it for three years now and it always gets asked for. Why do you think the 'no olive oil in cakes' rule got so popular?

2 comments

2 Comments

fiona33219d ago

Oh man, I feel this... I tried to make a chocolate cake with a super strong olive oil once and it tasted like I was eating a brownie with a salad. So I get where the bad rep comes from. But you're totally right, a mild oil with the right flavors is amazing. I bet that orange almond combo cuts through any heavy taste. I think the rule got popular because a lot of people just grab whatever oil is in the cabinet, and a strong one can really wreck a sweet bake. Your nonna clearly knew the secret.

rose_young19d ago

My nonna always kept a small bottle of light Bertolli just for baking. The trick is to taste the oil straight from the bottle first, if it's peppery or grassy it'll overpower everything. For that orange almond cake, you want something that basically disappears and just makes it moist.