If you love citrus, you will love this orange poppy seeds olive oil cake. It’s easy to make. It’s soft and moist and has a beautiful texture. The balance of citrus flavor, the nuttiness from the poppy seeds, as well as the unique flavor of olive oil, makes this cake hard to resist. Besides the taste, this cake is pretty, and you can make it into muffins or a sheet cake, too.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe


This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details.

Drizzling orange syrup over a slice of orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.
Slices of orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.
Subscribe

Why you’ll love this recipe?

Who doesn’t like an easy and delicious recipe? I know, I do. I tested this recipe many times until I was happy with it. Once, I made it with honey instead of sugar, but it turned out dense, and somehow the texture was not right. I also tried it with regular yogurt, not the thick, full-fat type. Again, the texture was off, and I wasn’t happy with it. I made it a few more times, tweaking ingredients until I was finally satisfied with the result.

It has the perfect texture, balanced sweetness, just the right amount of orange flavor, and poppy seeds. The olive oil pairs very well with the orange and the nuttiness from the poppy seeds. I also added the option of soaking/brushing the cake with orange syrup, which adds to the orange flavor and the texture. Instead of brushing the cake, you can use the syrup to drizzle over a slice. Of course, you can simply not use syrup and enjoy the cake as is.

Another thing I love about this orange poppy seeds olive oil cake is that it stays fresh and moist for days if covered well. I use a plastic bag, or for it to look prettier, I place it under a glass dome cake stand.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients for orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.

Full-fat yogurt or sour cream. I recommend using a thick type of yogurt (e.g., Greek) or sour cream. This will make the cake moist with a beautiful texture.

Olive oil. Any good-quality olive oil will work. It adds a hint of fruity, grassy flavor typical of olive oil. Depending on the brand of olive oil used, the flavor will vary slightly.

Poppy seeds. I love poppy seeds! I think they are not given enough credit and are left in the shadows. They add a pleasant nuttiness and texture, and let’s be honest, they look pretty paired with the orange.

How to make an orange poppy seeds olive oil cake?

Note! For exact measurements and detailed directions, see the recipe card below.

Step 1: Rub the orange zest and the sugar to release the oil and yummy citrus aroma.

  • Rubbing orange zest and sugar in a bowl.

Step 2: In the same bowl, whisk yogurt, eggs, vanilla, orange juice, olive oil, and poppy seeds.

  • Bowl with eggs, yogurt, poppy seeds, olive oil, and orange juice.
  • Bowl with mixed liquid ingredients for orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.

Step 3: In another bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Add them to the wet and mix until combined.

  • Bowl with flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Whisking wet and dry ingredients for orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.
  • Whisking batter for orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.

Step 4: Line a baking tray with parchment paper, pour the batter, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • Loaf pan lined with baking paper.
  • Loaf pan with orange poppy seeds olive oil cake batter.
  • Baked orange poppy seeds olive oil cake in a baking pan.

Step 5: If using orange syrup, poke the cake with a skewer or a toothpick and brush the surface.

  • Poking an orange poppy seeds olive oil cake with a skewer.
  • Brushing an orange poppy seeds olive oil cake with silicon brush.

Orange poppy seeds olive oil cake, sliced.

Recipe Tips

Let the poppy seeds soak. Letting them sit in the liquid for at least 10 minutes makes them softer and lets them release more flavor when cooked.

Combining zest and sugar. Rubbing the zest into the sugar helps release the oils and enhance the citrus flavor.

Additions and substitutions

  • You can use sour cream if you don’t have thick, full-fat yogurt.
  • I don’t recommend substituting olive oil for other vegetable oils due to its distinct flavor, but you can definitely do it.
  • Instead of the orange syrup, you can make a glaze by combining powdered sugar with orange juice, making it as thick or runny as you like and pouring/brushing it over the top of the cake.
  • Another option as a topping is to make a cream cheese, mascarpone, or buttercream frosting.
  • You can also serve a slice of the cake with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraîche.

Storage and reheating

This orange poppy seeds olive oil cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can freeze the cake after it has completely cooled, slice it, and place a piece of parchment paper between each slice so they don’t freeze to each other. Place in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat the cake, take as many slices as you want and let them defrost at room temperature or place them in the oven at 350F (180C) for a few minutes until soft.

Slice of orange poppy seeds olive oil cake on a plate with a fork and a side of orange syrup.

Recipe FAQ

Yes, you certainly can. I think a 6-8 inch round cake form will be enough to make 2-3 layers. If you want a bigger size, you might need to double the ingredients.

Yes, you can use butter instead of the olive oil, although the cake will miss the specific flavor that olive oil has.

More recipes to try

Let’s connect!

I would love to connect with you! Let me know if you try this recipe, and please leave a star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for others to see. This helps people find the recipe.

You can also tag me on Instagram, I would love to see your creations. Pin this recipe to your Pinterest board so you can always find it, and follow me there for more recipes like this.

Subscribe to my Substack mailing list and get the recipes straight to your mailbox!

If you like my content and want foolproof, well-tested, and truly delicious recipes that will save you time, consider subscribing to the paid option. Your support means a lot, and it helps me continue doing what I love.

subscribe
Crumbles of health food images.
Drizzling orange syrup over a slice of orange poppy seeds olive oil cake.

Orange poppy seeds olive oil cake

No ratings yet
AuthorMilena M
If you love citrus, you will love this orange poppy seeds olive oil cake. It's easy to make. It's soft and moist and has a beautiful texture. The balance of citrus flavor, the nuttiness from the poppy seeds, as well as the unique flavor of olive oil, makes this cake hard to resist.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Servings1 loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams caster sugar or granulated sugar, 1 1/4 cups
  • Zest from two large oranges
  • 120 grams full-fat yogurt, or sour cream, ½ cup
  • 3 eggs, 170 grams
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 ml orange juice, 1/2 cup, from 1 large orange
  • 100 ml olive oil, 1/2 cup
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 20 grams
  • 260 grams all-purpose flour, 2 cups
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Syrup (optional)

  • 120 ml orange juice, 1/2 cup, from 1 large orange
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar or granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
  2. In a bowl, combine sugar and orange zest. Rub the zest and sugar with your fingers to help the zest release its natural oils.
    250 grams caster sugar or granulated sugar, Zest from two large oranges
  3. In the same bowl, whisk yogurt, eggs, vanilla, orange juice, olive oil, and poppy seeds. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, giving time for the poppy seeds to soak and soften.
    120 grams full-fat yogurt, or sour cream, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 120 ml orange juice, 100 ml olive oil, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
    260 grams all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda
  5. Using a balloon whisk or silicon spatula, whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until it is a smooth batter.
  6. Line a 10×4.5-inch (or 9×5-inch) baking dish with parchment paper and pour the batter into the dish.
  7. Bake on the middle rack for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Transfer the cake with the parchment paper to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Orange syrup (optional)

  1. To make the syrup, add the orange juice and sugar to a saucepan and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
    120 ml orange juice, 2 tablespoons caster sugar or granulated sugar
  2. Poke the cake with a skewer or a toothpick all over the surface and brush with the syrup as soon as it comes out of the oven, if you’d like.

Notes

You can use the syrup to drizzle over each slice instead of brushing the cake or in addition to that. See more options in the “Additions and substitutions” section above.

Spread the love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.