Olive Oil Rosemary Cake
This delightful Olive Oil Rosemary Cake is soft, moist, and created without butter. The subtle addition of fresh rosemary is warm and inviting. A touch of lemon zest and juice adds freshness and balance.
🍰 Why You Will Love This Cake
- Fragrant yet subtle fresh rosemary adds a unique flavor to this olive oil cake.
- Can be made completely dairy free.
- Easy one bowl method.
If you have never tried rosemary cakes created with olive oil before, you will be pleasantly surprised at how the flavors of rosemary, olive oil, and lemon dance together in this cake.
It’s sweet yet savory with the rosemary not being overpowering.
Baking with herbs can be a delicious addition to sweet and savory recipes. My Cheese and Chive Scones are loaded with fragrant fresh chives and are wonderful served warm with a cup of tea.
If you’re interested in more cakes made with olive oil, this Raspberry Olive Oil Cake and Chocolate Olive Oil Cake are just two examples of how simple and versatile replacing butter with olive oil is in baking.
📋 Ingredient Notes
Here is what you need to make this delightful Olive Oil Rosemary Cake:
- Granulated sugar – use either golden/raw or white granulated sugar.
- Eggs – must be at room temperature before starting your cake.
- Lemon zest – finely grate the zest.
- Lemon juice – fresh is best! You will need 1 medium-large sized lemon for this olive oil rosemary cake recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil – use a quality extra virgin olive oil for best results.
- Milk – use a whole milk, skim milk or a dairy free milk of choice to make this a dairy-free cake.
- Vanilla extract – vanilla bean extract or vanilla essence.
- Plain Flour – also known as all-purpose flour in the US.
- Baking powder – helps the cake to rise in the oven. Make sure your baking powder has not expired, use my handy guide here to find out how to test it.
- Salt – a fine sea salt or Kosher salt.
- Fresh rosemary herb – use the fresh herb of rosemary. You can also use dried rosemary as a substitute.
- Icing sugar – also known as powdered sugar and confectioners sugar.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions
Make this Olive Oil Rosemary Cake in 6 easy steps!
A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
1) Be sure to finely chop your rosemary, just like in the image below 🙂
2) In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Beat until well combined.
3) With the beater running on low-medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify, about 50 seconds in total.
4) Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Beat for 15 seconds until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, and finely chopped rosemary. Beat until incorporated.
5) Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
6) Dust over a light layer of icing sugar using a fine mesh sieve. Serve and enjoy!
💭 Tips For Recipe Success
- Use fresh rosemary but if you cannot get your hands on the fresh rosemary herb, replace it with dried rosemary instead and use just one tablespoon instead of 2 tablespoons.
- Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil as it will offer the best flavor and texture for your rosemary cake.
- Replace the milk for a dairy free cake by using your favorite plant based milk such as almond milk. Not the canned versions of milk, only from the cartons.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store cake in an airtight container, in a dry and dark pantry at temperature for 3-4 days. Refrigerate to stay fresh if the house is too hot and humid.
Freeze the whole cake by cooling it down completely and then wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in a layer of foil. Or wrap the individual slices. Place it in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw the cake by unwrapping it, placing it on a plate or board, and sitting on your kitchen counter at room temperature until defrosted. Warm cake slices up in a moderate oven or microwave to serve if desired.
💬 FAQ’s
I highly recommend using fresh rosemary sprigs for this cake. However, if you cannot get your hands on fresh rosemary, replace it with dried rosemary instead and use just one tablespoon.
Store cake in an airtight container, in a dry and dark pantry at temperature for 3-4 days. Refrigerate to stay fresh if the house is too hot and humid.
Yes! Cool it down completely and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in a layer of foil. Or wrap each individual slice. Place it in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months.
🥄 Related Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Olive Oil Rosemary Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup golden/raw or white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature (approx. 55g-60g in shell)
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest, finely zested, approx. 1 medium-large lemon
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, approx. 1 medium-large lemon
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain all purpose flour, scoop & leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp icing/confectioners sugar, to dust over finished cake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Line an 8 inch round baking pan with parchment paper, set aside. NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of flour. This will leave your finished cake with smooth sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
- Using electric hand beaters, beat on low-medium speed for 30 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed with a spatula.
- With the beater running on low-medium speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream to emulsify, about 50 seconds in total.
- Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Beat for 15 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed.
- Add flour, baking powder, and finely chopped rosemary. Beat until incorporated, about 15 seconds, do not over-mix, just until it’s incorporated into a smooth batter and no lumps of flour remain. Scrape down the sides.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Smoothing out the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean and it’s lightly golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Dust over a light layer of icing sugar using a fine mesh sieve.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Store cake in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
This was easy to prepare and delicious! Lovely subtle rosemary flavor with a hint of lemon. Fresh berries on the side completed the perfect dessert.
Hi Linda, I’m thrilled you enjoyed this rosemary cake and found the balance of flavors just right! Fresh berries sound like a wonderful accompaniment. Thank you for sharing your feedback! Sam 🙂