Olive Oil Cake Recipe | Bon Appétit

Even die-hard butter devotees can admit that olive oil makes exceptionally good cakes. And this dairy-free olive oil cake recipe has serious fans. One commenter proclaims: “This is the best dessert I have ever made, I can’t stress enough how much everyone loves it—I could eat the entire cake.” Because olive oil is liquid at room temperature, it lends superior moisture to the crumb over time, meaning this cake improves as it sits on your counter for a few days—not that it will last that long, but it’s best to make it at least a day before serving.

Be choosy about your olive oil here. “You definitely want a [high-quality] olive oil with ‘extra-virgin’ on the label, but you don’t have to shell out for fancy-shmancy single-estate stuff,” explains Antara Sinha. Lemon juice and zest in the cake batter will help pick up on a good quality olive oil’s fruity notes (for an olive oil cake that’s extra lemony, try this one). To drive home the oil’s flavor, you’ll reserve 2 tablespoons worth to drizzle on top after the warm cake comes out of the oven.

This perfect little dessert needs little adornment, but if you’re making it for spring, spoon a pile of raspberries alongside and add a big dollop of whipped cream. In the fall, swap the berries out for plums.