This Vegan Olive Oil Cake is absolutely gorgeous. It looks like you spent hours making it when in reality it comes together very easily. The cake is full of blueberries with a lovely sweet, but not overpowering, fruity flavor. It’s sure to wow anyone you serve it to! Best yet, it's also gluten free and nut free!
This Vegan Olive Oil cake is like a dream. It’s light and fruity without the olive oil smacking you in the face. It’s truly one of my favorite cakes now.
For more fruity cake recipes, try Chocolate Blueberry Cake, Mixed Berry Cake, and Eggless Strawberry Cake.
Reasons To Love This Cake
- Allergy Friendly- This cake is gluten free, nut free and vegan.
- Soft & Fluffy- The cake is super soft and delicious.
- Blueberries- Fresh blueberries add that nice fruity flavor.
- Olive Oil- Gives it that light fruity flavor.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this one because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy.
- Granulated Sugar- We need 1 cup plus an additional tablespoon for sprinkling.
- Cornstarch and Water- This is an eggless cake so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Milk of Choice- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- White Vinegar- It helps create our buttermilk.
- Fresh Blueberries- 2 cups washed and picked over blueberries.
- Lemon Zest- Gives it a little tang.
Expert Baking Tips
Make the Homemade Buttermilk
Measure out the ½ cup of the milk of choice.
Add in one ½ tablespoon of white vinegar and stir to combine. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir again. It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
Pick Over The Blueberries
Simply go through the blueberries to make sure none are moldy or crushed.
You want beautiful round fresh berries for the cake.
Smoothing The Batter
Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked.
If you leave it misshapen, that’s how it will remain when baked.
When the batter is in the cake pan, gently smooth the top with a butter knife prior to placing the blueberries on top.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are the steps to make this cake!
Step 1: Make the Homemade Buttermilk
In a large measuring cup, measure out ½ cup of milk. Add in ½ tablespoon of the white vinegar and stir. This is your homemade buttermilk.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 3: Whisk in Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk, lemon zest and 1 cup of granulated sugar.
You can also use an electric mixer.
Step 4: Beat in the Olive Oil
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in your olive oil. Mix until it is fully incorporated into the other liquids.
Step 5: Whisk Together the Other Dry Ingredients
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 6: Beat in the Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients a little at a time until just combined. Or use a whisk.
Step 7: Add The Blueberries
Add in 1.5 cups of washed blueberries and gently fold them in, using a spatula, until combined.
Step 8: Scoop the Batter
Using a spatula, scoop the batter into a greased pie dish and smooth the top with a butter knife.
Step 9: Arrange the Blueberries and Sprinkle Sugar
Gently press the remaining ½ cup blueberries into the top of the batter.
Step 10: Sprinkle the Sugar
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the entire top of the cake, covering the blueberries.
Step 11: Bake the Cake
Bake the cake in the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 64 minutes until golden and slightly springy when carefully touched.
Step 12: Let It Cool
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 min or so before lifting it out by the parchment paper overhang.
Make sure you don’t do this right when it comes out of the oven because if you do, the cake will fall apart.
Step 13: Top With Confectioners' Sugar
If desired, cut the cake then top each slice with confectioners' sugar right before serving. If you put it on the hot cake it will melt.
How To Ensure This Stays Vegan
Follow these simple steps to make sure the cake is vegan:
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
FAQ
No.
Frozen blueberries have way too much liquid and the cake would be a wet mess.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make this cake the night before.
If making the night before, keep the cake in the dish, covered with aluminum foil at room temperature.
No you do not. It is delicious as it is!
Yes! If you are not vegan or do not have a milk allergy, you can use regular whole milk instead of a non dairy milk of choice.
Storing and Freezing
Storing
Since gluten free and eggless baked goods are best the first day, we want to try to keep this vegan olive oil cake as fresh as possible.
Keep the cake in the dish and only remove slices as needed.
Keeping it in the dish helps to keep it soft.
Cover the top of the pie dish with aluminum foil and keep at room temperature.
Freezing
I do not recommend freezing this cake due to the fresh fruit.
If you froze the cake it would become very very wet as it defrosted.
Other Easy Cakes to Try
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Vegan Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- ½ cup milk of choice
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon more for sprinkling
- 1.5 cups gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. Also grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
- Measure out ½ cup of milk of choice. Add in ½ tablespoon of white vinegar and mix together with a spoon. Let sit 5-10 min. The milk will appear chunky and that’s supposed to happen. Stir again.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer or just using a whisk, add in 1 cup of granulated sugar, the cornstarch water mixture, the lemon zest and the milk vinegar mixture. Beat until well combined.
- While the mixer is still on, slowly add in the olive oil. Mix until the olive oil is fully incorporated into the other liquids.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt. If using an electric mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. If you’re doing this by hand, use a spatula. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Add in 1.5 cups of blueberries and gently mix to combine.
- Still using the spatula, pour the mixture into the cake pan. Use a butter knife to smooth the top. Gently press the remaining ½ cup blueberries into the top. Sprinkle the top with a little granulated sugar, just all round.
- Bake for 64 minutes until the top springs back at you and is golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few crumbs.
- Let cool in the pan for about 5 min before lifting the cake out of the pan with the parchment paper. If you do this too soon, the cake will fall apart.
- Once the cake has cooled, dust with confectioners’ sugar. If you do this when the cake is warm, the sugar will melt. Enjoy!
john
A nice, light and sweet cake without all the fuss!