This basil olive oil cake is unlike any other cake I’ve had! It’s tender, slightly sweet and the blended basil perfumes the cake perfectly! No more having to fuss with multiple layers, frosting and decorating to have a beautiful, delicious cake. The simplicity of this one is what makes it so good!
Here’s why you should make this olive oil cake recipe:
Olive oil cake may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of your favorite cakes, but that will change once you try this recipe! The olive oil in this cake adds so much moisture and richness and the fresh basil leaves give off such an aromatic freshness! Not to mention, it’s so easy to make and requires no decorating!
Ingredients you’ll need for this lemon basil olive oil cake:
- High quality olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- Milk
- Eggs
- Lemon zest
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Strawberries (optional)
- Heavy whipping cream (optional)
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Try to use good quality olive oil:
This is not the time to skimp on the quality! I know prices of olive oil can range pretty drastically and I’m not at all saying you have to go out and buy the most expensive one on the shelf but you’ll definitely want to reach for a nice extra virgin olive oil. It’s a huge contributor to the flavor and color of this cake so try to use some good olive oil!
How to make the best lemon basil cake:
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl.
- Blend the wet ingredients, including the basil.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures together.
- Transfer the batter to your pan and cake.
- Once cooled, slice and serve as is or top with freshly whipped cream.
FAQ:
A springform pan is bakeware that has sides that can be easily removed from the base. Springform pans also tend to have higher sides compared to other 8 or 9 inch baking pans. You could still make this recipe in a 9 inch cake pan, but the springform is convenient for removing and is a nice height for this single layer cake.
Sure! Both will do the job perfectly. The most important part of blending the mixture is to disperse the hint of basil leaves throughout the cake batter. If you just chop and throw them into the batter without blending, the cake will not be NEARLY as good. So make sure you blend!
This cake can be enjoyed any time of day due to its simplicity and light sweetness. It’s really the perfect cake to make when you need something versatile. My favorite way to enjoy it is with some lightly sweetened whipped heavy cream and even some fresh strawberries or fresh raspberries if I’m feeling fancy!
Yes! All varieties of basil can be equally substituted in this recipe. I just use sweet basil which is the most common variety that we all find in our grocery stores and often grow ourselves!
I tend to like whole milk for baking due to the fat, sugar and over creaminess it has compared to 2% or skim. Its main job is just to contribute overall moisture to the cake so really any of them will end up working fine!
Basil Olive Oil Cake
Equipment
- 1 blender or food processor
- (1) 9 inch springform pan 9 inch round cake pan will work as well
- 1 standmixer or electric handmixer
Ingredients
For the cake layer:
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1 1/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 15 fresh basil leaves no stems
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting on top (optional)
For serving alongside the cake (optional):
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy whipped cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk until well combined, then set aside.
- In your high speed blender or food processor, add in the olive oil, fresh basil leaves and milk. Blend for 30 seconds or until the basil is completely blended.
- In a large bowl, crack in the eggs and add the lemon zest. Whisk until the eggs are light and fluffy.
- Pour the blended basil mixture into the eggs and lemon zest. Mix until well combined.
- Next, take the flour mixture from earlier and add them to the bowl of wet ingredients. Fold everything together until there is no remaining flour and the mixture is smooth.
- Spray your 9 inch cake pan or springform pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into the prepared pan and let it settle itself into an even layer. You can help it along by lightly tapping your cake pan on the counter or a flat surface to level the mixture and pop any air bubbles left in the cake batter.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the surface is golden brown and a toothpick (or cake tester) inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before either releasing from your springform pan or inverting from your standard pan.
- Optional: dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar for an even prettier presentation!
Optional toppings:
- Slice up fresh strawberries and toss with granulated sugar and fresh lemon juice. Let them macerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Add cold heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a hand mixer and medium bowl as well) along with the powdered sugar.
- Using the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed to form soft peaks.
- Serve a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries on the side of your slice of cake.
Absolutely fabulous! I wasn’t really sure how these flavors would work in a cake but it was delicious and got rave reviews from my dinner guests. I will definitely be adding this to my dessert rotation .
Hi Paula! This is one of my faves too! So glad you loved it!
I love olive oil cakes and was looking for a cake recipe to use up some basil so this one sang to me. It was outstanding! I highly recommend making the suggested macerated strawberries and whipped cream (adding a touch of vanilla) – these round out the bitter notes of the basil in the cake and make a perfectly balanced dessert.