Greek Spiced Olive Oil Cake with Orange Blossom Water
A tender, moist crumb cake infused with extra-virgin olive oil, warm spices, and the delicate perfume of orange blossom water. Fresh orange juice brightens the batter while cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom add depth. This is traditionally served plain with Greek coffee or a light honey glaze.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Wait
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Makes
- 1 cake (10 slices)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch round cake pan or 8×8-inch square pan
- Have all ingredients at room temperature before you start
- If using freshly squeezed orange juice, strain out pulp
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, cinnamon, ground cloves, cardamom, and black pepper.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined
Tip: Sift the spices with the flour to ensure even distribution and prevent clumps
Combine eggs and sugar
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until light, pale, and thick, about 3–4 minutes.
- The mixture should form ribbons when the whisk is lifted.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, fluffy, and creates ribbons when the whisk is lifted
Tip: Room-temperature eggs whisk more easily and incorporate more air, creating a lighter cake
Add olive oil and orange juice
- With the whisk still in the bowl, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while whisking continuously.
- Then add the fresh orange juice in a thin stream, whisking gently to combine.
- The mixture will look slightly separated but should blend as you continue whisking for about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Olive oil and juice are fully incorporated; mixture is smooth and emulsified
Tip: Add the oil and juice slowly to prevent the batter from breaking or becoming greasy
Add zest and orange blossom water
- Stir in the orange zest and orange blossom water, mixing until just combined.
- Be careful not to over-stir.
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Ready when: Zest and blossom water are evenly distributed
Tip: Use a gentle hand to preserve the aeration you've built into the eggs and sugar
Fold in dry ingredients
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined.
- Do not overmix—a few small streaks of flour are fine.
- Overmixing can make the cake tough.
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Ready when: Flour is mostly incorporated with no large dry pockets
Tip: Folding rather than mixing keeps the batter light and ensures a tender crumb
Pour and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top gently with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- The top should be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched.
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Ready when: Toothpick inserted in center has a few moist crumbs; top is golden and springs back
Tip: Start checking at 40 minutes, as oven temperatures vary. A cake that bakes slightly longer will be drier; check earlier if you prefer a more tender crumb
Cool in pan
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 15 minutes.
- During this time, the cake firms up slightly, making it less likely to break when turned out.
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Ready when: Cake has cooled enough to hold its shape
Tip: Do not skip this step—it allows the crumb to set before you turn the cake out
Turn out and cool completely
- Invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely, about 1–2 hours, before slicing.
- The cake can be served at room temperature.
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Ready when: Cake is completely cool to the touch
Tip: If the cake sticks, run a thin knife around the edge first to loosen it gently
Good to know
Tips
- This cake is traditionally served plain or with a simple honey drizzle, allowing the subtle spices and orange blossom to shine
- For a honey glaze, whisk together 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, and 1 teaspoon orange blossom water until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake
- The flavor of this cake improves after 1 day, as the spices have time to meld. Make it ahead if possible
- Pair with Greek coffee or strong black tea to complement the warm spices and floral notes
Make ahead
The cake can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Once completely cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Storage & reheating
Store the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Substitutions
- orange blossom water → rose water or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Rose water offers a similar floral note; vanilla will make the cake more classic but less distinctly Greek. Use half the amount if substituting with vanilla.
- extra-virgin olive oil → light olive oil or vegetable oil. Extra-virgin gives the best flavor, but a milder oil works if that is all you have. The cake will be less aromatic.
- fresh orange juice, strained → lemon juice or water. Fresh lemon juice gives a brighter, tarter flavor; water will be more neutral. Use the same amount.
- ground cardamom → nutmeg or ginger. Nutmeg adds warmth; ground ginger provides a spicy kick. Use the same amount, though ginger is stronger—start with ¼ teaspoon.
