Olive oil is not a likely staple baking ingredient when it comes to desserts, even if it's just used for greasing. If you run out of butter and have a whole bottle of olive oil, why not try to use that in baking for a change? We have some recipes that give the regular dessert cakes and cookies a makeover with olive oil with some vanilla and citrus thrown in. You might end up loving these desserts so much that you end up experimenting with other recipes substituting butter with olive oil!
1. Olive Oil Tea Cake
Ingredients
- 180 ml olive oil (light or extra light)
- 300 gm granulated sugar
- 15 ml pure vanilla extract
- 5 eggs
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- 240 gm all-purpose flour
- 120 ml whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, then grease a 22x12cm loaf pan with olive oil. Set aside.
- Add the olive oil, sugar and vanilla in a bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until combined.
- Add one egg, and beat it. Then repeat with the other eggs too. Then increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 5 another minutes until fluffy.
- Bring down the speed mix after adding the baking powder, salt and half of the flour into the batter. Then add the milk, and mix again. Drop in the remaining flour and mix, a few streaks of flour should remain in the batter.
- Using a spatula scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, towards the end check with a skewer. There might be crumbs on the skewer but they will be moist, not wet or sticky. Remove from heat and let it cool in the pan.
- Slice the cake, serve and store away the rest in an air-tight container.
2. Chunky Chocolate Olive Oil Cookies
Ingredients
- 50 gm granulated sugar
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 155 gm brown sugar
- 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil (some extra for brushing)
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange juice
- 220 gm maida
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 100 gm chocolate chips
- Flaky salt to sprinkle
Ingredients
- Add the granulated sugar, orange zest and salt to a wide bowl. Mix using your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant and tinged yellow. Then add the brown sugar, olive oil, whole egg plus the yolk, vanilla extract and orange juice and whisk.
- In a separate bowl, use your fingertips to mix together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients from the other bowl to this dry ingredient bowl in batches, gently mixing with a spoon or spatula between additions until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- This is a good time to preheat the oven to 190°C and also line the cookie baking sheet with parchment paper. Take the dough out, it should be soft enough to be moulded, not sticky or too dry. Pull out small ball-sized portions of the dough and press them into the baking sheet keeping 2 inches gaps around each. Dip a pastry brush in olive oil and lightly coat the dough on top.
- Bake for 10 minutes, keep checking to see if they turn golden brown. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Olive Oil Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 120 gm yogurt
- 200 gm sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 120 ml olive oil
- 240 gm all-purpose flour
- 60 gm Cadbury Cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp freshly brewed coffee (strong)
- 45 ml water (boiling)
Instructions
- Grease a 23 cm spring form pan and preheat the oven to 180°C. Set aside.
- Pour yoghurt, add the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and olive oil into a mixing bowl and whisk.
- Take another bowl for the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, then mix. Then add these ingredients into the wet mix bowl. Also, pour the hot coffee and the boiling water. Mix properly.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Insert a skewer to test if the cake is done. Some moist crumbs from the cake might stick. Remove from heat, cool then serve.