Our Vegan Rosemary, Olive Oil, and Orange Cake is a real family favorite! This recipe brings together the fresh, zesty flavor of freshly squeezed orange juice with the aromatic touch of rosemary and the smooth richness of extra virgin olive oil. Baked to perfection in a 10-inch round cake pan, this cake is a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re serving it at a family gathering, a barbecue, or simply enjoying a slice with a cup of coffee or tea at home. Its light and moist texture, combined with its subtle yet distinctive flavors, make it a hit not just with vegans but with everyone who takes a bite. Let’s get baking!
Okay vegan besties… put a finger down if you were invited to dinner at a neighbor’s house who you know is not a vegan so you hesitantly tell her you’d love to come but that you are vegan so what should you bring? So she tells you not to stress that she’s got you – but could you please come early to help her work on a dessert she has planned? So you tell her sure and show up three hours early to help her create the most delicious, moist, vegan orange olive oil cake ever! Anyone?
Navigating dinner invitations as a vegan can be tricky at best. I always offer to bring a dish or two, not just for me, but for everyone to enjoy! Chickpea quinoa salad always gets lots of love and pretty much any pasta salad works well too. I like to bring Asian peanut noodles because they aren't overtly vegan - but yes, definitely vegan for me! This yummy moist olive oil orange cake will definitely be on the list of what to bring for dessert.
Ingredients needed to make vegan olive oil orange cake with fresh rosemary
- freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest – Buy at least three large juicy oranges. You probably won’t use all of them but it’s best to have more on hand than you think you’ll need so that you don’t run short in the middle of prepping your recipe.
- fresh rosemary
- all purpose flour -You’ve got to measure the flour accurately. See the blog post below for my lighten, spoon, and swipe method.
- granulated sugar
- baking powder and baking soda – Make sure that both are fresh or the cake will fall flat.
- salt
- oat milk – Or use any other plant milk or your choice.
- olive oil – Extra virgin, light flavored is best for this recipe.
- Agave nectar
- You’ll also need a 10″ round cake pan, parchment paper, and a lemon zester for the best success.
How to make vegan olive oil cake with fresh oranges and rosemary
The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.
Steps one and two: Prepare
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set the rack in the center spot in your oven. Grease or oil the cake pan (I just use the olive oil I’m using in the recipe), and – very important – line the round cake pan with parchment paper.
Making the parchment paper circle
You can use 10-inch round parchment paper if you happen to have it, but I find it super easy to just cut my own from the cookie sheet-sized parchment paper I always have on hand.
Do you remember when you were a kid cutting paper snowflakes by folding a rectangular-shaped paper into a triangle? This is your first step. After folding the parchment paper into a triangle, place he folded triangle in the center of the round pan and mark along the edge. You can use a pen or marker – or just do what I did and use the point of your scissors to make the mark.
Next, remove the marked triangle from the pan and cut along the marked edge. Unfold the triangle into a circle, place it in the pan and trim the excess if necessary. Now you’ve made your very own parchment paper circle and it’s the perfect size for your pan!
The rosemary and orange
Chop the fresh rosemary very finely. You will need one tablespoon for the cake with some extra set aside to sprinkle on top of the iced cake if desired.
Zest the orange first before squeezing it. It’s easier to zest a full round orange than it is to zest one that’s already been juiced – and you are less likely to scrape your hand with the zester if you do it this way. You’ll need the zest of one or two oranges – one and a half tablespoons for the cake, with a little extra to sprinkle on top of the iced cake.
Squeeze the orange by hand or use a citrus juicer. You will need seven tablespoons for the cake and two tablespoons for the icing. This totals a little over one-half of a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice. Depending on the size and juiciness of the oranges used, I can usually do this with two to three oranges. But I always buy one extra just in case. These is nothing worse than having to run to the grocery store for more in the middle of making your recipe!
Step three: the dry ingredients
It’s really important to accurately measure the flour when making cake, bread, or cookies or your baked goods will be too heavy and dry. I use the “lighten, spoon, and swipe” method that my grandmother taught me many many years ago.
Accurately measure the flour
For precision in baking, weighing flour is the gold standard as it ensures consistent results. The weight of flour can vary significantly based on factors like humidity and measuring techniques.
However, if you don’t have a scale, the “spoon and swipe” method—lightly spooning flour into a measuring cup and then leveling it off with a flat edge—can offer a more accurate measurement than scooping directly. While weighing remains ideal, the spoon and swipe method is a reliable alternative for achieving better accuracy in your baked goods.
- First “lighten” the flour by stirring it about with a spoon to get some air into it.
- Next, take a spoon or smaller measuring cup and scoop out the lightened flour.
- Then shake the lightened flour into the measuring cup. You’ll be shaking the flour in the measuring cup until the level of the lightened flour is a little bit above the level of the measuring cup.
- Next, take a knife or other flat implement and cut the top of the flour all the way across the measuring cup.
- Finally, with one swift movement, use the same knife to swipe away the excess.
The rest of the dry ingredients
After you’ve accurately measured the flour, add the rest of the dry ingredients to the flour in a large bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chopped rosemary, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute all of the ingredients and then set the bowl aside while you measure the wet ingredients.
Step four: the wet ingredients
In a smaller bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Mix seven tablespoons of the freshly squeezed orange juice along with the the plant milk (I used oat milk), olive oil, and the agave nectar. Stir everything so that it’s all mixed before adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Step five: Mixing the wet and the dry ingredients together and getting ready to bake
Make a well in the middle of the mixed dry ingredients (in the larger bowl) and pour in the mixed wet ingredients all at once. Stir with a large spoon (not a mixer) until everything is nice and smooth but don’t over mix!
Pour the batter into the prepared round cake pan, scraping out every luscious bit. Shake the pan a little to evenly distribute the batter in the pan. It’s time to bake!
Steps six and seven: baking and cooling the cake
Place the pan in the preheated oven immediately because the orange juice and baking soda will begin reacting as soon as you mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes until it is golden brown on the edges. Another test for doneness is to lightly touch the baked cake and see if it bounces back. If the place you touched remains indented then it needs another couple of minutes to finish baking.
After you remove the baked cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before turning in over onto a cooling rack.
Steps eight and nine: Icing the cake
The olive oil orange cake should be mostly cooled before icing but completely cooled before cutting into it to enjoy.
Make the icing in a two-cup measuring cup or other small bowl. Combine the powdered sugar with two tablespoons of freshly squeezed orange juice until icing is at a pourable consistency.
Pour the icing over the cake, tilting the cake to evening spread the icing around the top and start dripping down the sides. You can optionally sprinkle some more orange zest on top.
Enjoy your vegan orange olive oil cake!
Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too! This fresh rosemary orange olive oil cake is best enjoyed the same day you make it; but it can be stored covered in the fridge for up to two days. The icing will get sticky after being stored in the fridge though…just be aware.
Rosemary, Olive Oil, and Orange Cake (Vegan)
Equipment
- 10 inch cake pan
Ingredients
- 7 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice plus more for the icing
- 1½ Tablespoons orange zest more for topping
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour measured accurately
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup oat milk or other plant milk
- ¾ cup olive oil extra virgin, light flavored
- 2 Tablespoons agave nectar
Icing
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
- more orange zest and/or rosemary for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F Grease a 10” round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. See the blog post for how to make a round cake pan liner.
- Chop the fresh rosemary and zest then juice the oranges. Chop the fresh rosemary. Set all aside seperately.
- Accurately measure the flour using the lighten, spoon, and swipe method. See the blog post for details. Use a large bowl to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, chopped rosemary, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute and set aside.2 ¼ cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a smaller bowl mix together the wet ingredients. Mix the orange juice and zest, oat milk, olive oil, and agave nectar.7 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, 1½ Tablespoons orange zest, ¾ cup oat milk, ¾ cup olive oil, 2 Tablespoons agave nectar
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients all at once. Stir until smooth but don't over mix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the oven immediately as the orange juice and baking soda will begin reacting.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown on the edges and the cake bounces back when lightly touched. Don't over bake or the cake will become dry.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Make the icing. In a measuring cup or other small bowl combine the powdered sugar with orange juice until icing is at a pourable consistency.¾ cup powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
- Pour the icing over the cake, tilting the cake to evening spread the icing around the top and start dripping down the sides. Optionally sprinkle some more orange zest on top.more orange zest and/or rosemary for topping
- Allow to cool and set completely before cutting into 8-10 slices.
- Best the same day but can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The icing will get sticky after being stored in the fridge.
