Gluten-Free Olive Oil Cake

Did you know that olive oil isn't just for salads and savoury dishes? It makes an excellent substitute for butter in many sweet recipes, including cakes. The secret lies in choosing the right variety: a mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil with sweet notes –such as the Greek varieties Manaki, Amfissis, Makri, Mavrolia or the Spanish cultivar Arbequina – will give your cake wonderful moisture, delicate flavour and heart-healthier fats.

This recipe demonstrates that a gluten-free olive oil cake can be light, fragrant and incredibly delicious without a trace of butter.

When replacing butter with olive oil in sweet recipes – such as cakes, muffins or brownies – use approximately 75% of the amount of butter as olive oil. This is because olive oil is pure fat, whereas butter also contains water and milk solids.

Butter-to-olive-oil conversion

Butter	Olive oil
1 cup (227 g)	¾ cup (180 ml / ~160-170 g)
½ cup (113 g)	6 tablespoons (90 ml)
¼ cup (57 g)	3 tablespoons (45 ml)

Ingredients

• 180 ml extra virgin olive oil (recommended olive varieties: Manaki, Mavrolia, Makri, or Amfissis)

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from ~2-3 lemons)

• Juice of 1 lemon (~ 2 tablespoons / 30 ml)

• 200 g coconut sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 240 g yogurt (dairy or coconut yogurt)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• 190 g gluten-free all-purpose flour.

  
  

Optionally, for serving:

• Icing sugar

• Crème fraîche

• Extra lemon zest. 

  
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. Prepare the pan: grease a round cake pan of approximately 23 cm in diameter with olive oil, or line it with parchment paper.

3. Mix the wet ingredients: in a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, together with the coconut sugar, eggs, yogurt, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

4. Add the dry ingredients: add the gluten-free flour and mix until the batter is smooth and uniform.

5. Bake: pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Cool and serve: allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Turn it out onto a wire rack. Once cooled slightly, transfer it to a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar and serve with crème fraîche and lemon zest, if desired.

   
   

Variations & tips

• Sugar substitution: For a more neutral sweetness, use white or light brown sugar.

• Non-gluten-free version: Use regular all-purpose flour in the same quantity.

• Alternative sweetener: Use 200 g brown sugar for a richer, caramel-like flavor.