Candied Orange Olive Oil Cake (Printer-Friendly)

A moist olive oil cake with candied orange slices and a bright citrus glaze for a refreshing touch.

# What You Need:

→ Candied Oranges

01 - 2 medium oranges, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup water

→ Cake

04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 cup granulated sugar
09 - Zest of 1 orange
10 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
11 - 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 - 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Citrus Glaze

14 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

# Steps:

01 - In a large skillet, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add orange slices in a single layer. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping occasionally, until translucent and tender. Transfer slices to a parchment-lined tray to cool completely.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Rub together with fingers to release essential oils. Whisk in eggs until pale and thick. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking constantly.
05 - Add half the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, followed by half the milk and vanilla extract. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk, mixing until just combined.
06 - Arrange a layer of candied orange slices on the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour batter over the oranges and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake. Decorate with reserved candied oranges if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The olive oil keeps everything impossibly moist for days, so you're not stuck eating dry cake by day two.
  • Those candied oranges become little flavor bombs that make every bite feel intentional and special.
  • It's elegant enough for guests but genuinely straightforward enough to pull together on a random Tuesday.
02 -
  • Don't skip bringing your eggs and milk to room temperature—this is the single thing that determines whether your crumb is tender or dense.
  • The candied oranges need to be completely cool before you assemble the cake, otherwise they'll sink and scatter unpredictably through the batter.
  • Olive oil cakes taste better the next day, so make this at least eight hours ahead if you want the full flavor development.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold when you're baking, warm your mixing bowl slightly before combining ingredients; this helps the emulsification happen smoothly.
  • Make the candied oranges at least one day ahead—they develop better texture and flavor as they sit, and you'll have one less task on cake-making day.
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