with Honey Syrup

This olive oil cake recipe produces a tender, fragrant crumb perfumed with orange zest and enriched with almond flour, then finished with a warm honey syrup that soaks into every slice. It is a one-bowl-style cake that needs no mixer, stays moist for days, and rewards you with a flavour that deepens overnight.

Olive oil has long been a baking fat across the olive-growing regions of the Mediterranean, where it was more available than butter, and citrus-and-oil cakes remain a household staple in Italy, Spain, and Greece. Replacing butter with oil gives a softer, moister texture because liquid fat coats flour proteins and limits gluten formation, while the honey syrup nods to the syrup-soaked cakes common in Greek and Middle Eastern baking.

What you will need:

Cake Batter

Ingredient	Quantity
All-Purpose Flour	100g
Almond Flour	25g
Baking Powder	2.5g
Baking Soda	1g
Kosher Salt	3g
Eggs, whole	72g (about 1½ large eggs, beaten)
Granulated Sugar	94g
Whole Milk	111g
Olive Oil	70g
Orange Zest	4g
Orange Juice	20g

Honey Syrup

Ingredient	Quantity
Honey	86g
Water	14g

Equipments:

• 6-inch (15cm) round / square cake pan
• Parchment paper
• Digital scale (0.1g precision recommended)
• Two mixing bowls (medium and large)
• Balloon whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Microplane zester
• Citrus juicer
• Wooden skewer
• Small saucepan
• Wire cooling rack
• Pastry brush (optional)

General Details:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 32-38 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including cooling)

Yield: One 6-inch cake (about 6 slices)

Difficulty: Beginner

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Category: Cake

Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days; wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.

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Instructions:

Prepare the Pan

• Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack in the centre.
• Oil the pan and line the base with parchment paper.

Prepare Batter

• Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
• Whisk in the olive oil, milk, and orange juice until fully emulsified.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap it gently on the counter to release large air bubbles.

Bake

• Bake for 32-38 minutes until golden, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge.

Honey Syrup and Finish

• Warm the honey and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until fluid and fully combined, without boiling.
• Poke the top of the warm cake all over with a skewer.
• Spoon or brush the warm syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to absorb before adding more.
• Cool completely on a wire rack before unmoulding and slicing.

More Variations

• Lemon and Thyme – Swap the orange zest and juice for lemon, and warm a sprig of thyme in the honey syrup.
• Blood Orange Upside-Down – Arrange thin blood orange slices on the parchment before pouring in the batter.
• Rosemary Honey – Infuse the syrup with a rosemary sprig for a savoury-herbal Mediterranean edge.
• Cardamom and Pistachio – Add ground cardamom to the dry mix and finish with chopped pistachios over the syrup.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt, fresh figs, and a drizzle of the remaining syrup.
• Top with orange segments and toasted flaked almonds for a bright, textural finish.
• Pair with espresso or a cup of Earl Grey for afternoon tea.
• Plate with lightly sweetened whipped mascarpone and macerated strawberries for a dinner-party dessert.

Nutrition Profile / 100g

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	353 kcal
Total Fat	17.1 g
Saturated Fat	2.8 g
Carbohydrates	46.8 g
Sugars	31.9 g
Protein	5.2 g
Fiber	1.2 g
Sodium	337 mg

Note: Calculated per 100g of finished cake including all honey syrup. Assumes about 9% moisture loss during baking. Approximate values based on recipe formula. Actual nutrition may vary.

Tips for Best Results:

• Choose a mild or fruity extra virgin olive oil; very peppery, bitter oils can dominate the delicate orange and almond flavours.
• Zest the orange before juicing it, and rub the zest into the sugar to release its aromatic oils.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale because this incorporated air supports the rise alongside the chemical leaveners.
• Emulsify the oil thoroughly into the egg mixture so it does not pool or leave the cake greasy.
• Apply the syrup while the cake is warm and the syrup is warm, as the open, warm crumb absorbs liquid far more evenly.
• Let the cake rest overnight when possible because the crumb becomes moister and the flavours meld.

Troubleshooting Guide:

Issue	Possible Cause	Fix
Cake is greasy or oily at the base	Oil not fully emulsified into the egg mixture	Whisk steadily while adding oil until the batter looks uniform
Dense, heavy crumb	Eggs and sugar under-whisked or batter overmixed	Whisk until pale; fold dry ingredients only until combined
Sunken centre	Underbaked or oven door opened too early	Bake until a skewer is clean; avoid opening in the first 20 minutes
Dark top, raw middle	Oven running hot or pan too small	Verify oven temperature; tent with foil after 25 minutes
Syrup pools on top	Cake cooled before soaking or not pierced enough	Soak while warm and pierce deeply all over
Soapy or metallic aftertaste	Leaveners mismeasured	Weigh baking powder and soda on a 0.1g scale
Bitter flavour	Harsh olive oil or white pith in the zest	Use a mild oil and zest only the coloured skin

Snapshot Recipe

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This small-batch formula bakes in a 6-inch pan, which makes it ideal for afternoon tea, a relaxed dinner-party dessert, or a weekend bake for a small household. Serve it plain, with yoghurt and fruit, or alongside a strong espresso.

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