Keto Orange Olive Oil Cake

This keto orange olive oil cake might just be my new favourite dessert! A bold statement, I know. But, there you go. The texture is perfectly moist and dense thanks to the olive oil, yet it tastes light and zesty thanks to the orange. As if that wasn’t appealing enough, the cake is also gluten-free, sugar-free and incredibly easy to make!

Also included are recipe instructions for an optional (not optional, if I’m being honest) orange, cream cheese frosting just in case you want to double down on the zesty low-carb deliciousness (you do). Enjoy a piece of this cake as dessert or serve it up for breakfast with a cup of tea!

This keto orange olive oil cake with orange cream cheese frosting uses ingredients you likely already have on hand. Plus, it only requires 10 minutes of prep time!

Start by adding the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stirring until they are combined. The orange zest tends to stick together, so be sure to break it up as you stir. You want it to be as evenly distributed as possible.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs and stir in the olive oil, orange juice and vanilla. Once the wet ingredients are combined, simply fold them into the dry and whisk until the batter is completely smooth.

Pour the batter into a 9×5 pan lined with parchment paper and let it settle. I have tried this recipe both with and without parchment paper (opting for a greased pan instead). I found it much easier to remove the cake when parchment paper is used.

Once your oven has reached 350 degrees, place the pan on the middle rack and bake for 40 minutes. If your oven tends to be a bit more powerful, keep an eye on the cake after about 30 minutes. You want the cake to be golden brown on top and for a toothpick inserted in the centre to come out clean.

Once you remove the cake from the oven, it’s very important to let it cool completely before removing it from the pan. You risk the cake breaking or crumbling if it hasn’t had a chance to properly set.

This keto orange olive oil cake recipe includes an optional keto orange cream cheese frosting. But, if you ask me, it isn’t optional at all. I mean, what would cake even be without frosting?!?

You can easily prepare the orange cream cheese frosting while the cake is cooking and cooling. Remove the cream cheese from the fridge as you prepare the cake batter and let it come to room temperature.

Once the cream cheese is a bit soft (feel free to microwave in 30 second increments to soften), use a hand blender to mix it with the other frosting ingredients. Blend the frosting until it’s smooth. Once the cake has completely cooled, slather the frosting on and garnish with more orange zest for a pop of colour!

Some notes about the ingredients

I recommend using Swerve icing sugar for both the cake and the frosting. Swerve is a great sugar alternative for those following a keto or low-carb diet and their icing sugar is especially great for baking. It dissolves really well, so you eliminate the risk of a granular texture to your treats.

I also recommend using a high-quality olive oil for this cake for optimal tastiness and health benefits! Good olive oil will have a fruity, slightly bitter taste. This perfectly complements the sweetness of the orange!

Finally, consider buying organic oranges for this recipe. Oranges aren’t on the Dirty Dozen list because their thick skin keeps pesticides away from the fruit inside. But, for this cake, you’ll be using the fruit’s juice and the zest from it’s rind. Non-organic oranges are often sprayed with pesticides, which end up coating the fruit’s skin. When you zest the skin (even after washing the fruit well), trace amounts of chemicals can find their way into your dish (yes, gross!). So, play it safe and opt for organic produce whenever you plan on using the skins!

If you prefer more of a glaze rather than a thick frosting, simply cut down on the cream cheese and use a bit more juice from the orange. Start with about 0.5 to 1 ounce of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of Swerve and about 2-3 tablespoons of juice. Adjust as needed until you reach the desired consistency.

I have only ever made this orange olive oil cake in a 9×5 pan, but I think the recipe would turn out really well in a muffin tray too. If you want to give it a try, line your tray with baking cups so the batter doesn’t stick. Be sure to also adjust the cooking time as a tray of a dozen muffins will cook far faster than the full cake. Let me know in the comments below how they turn out!

If you’re in the mood for other keto desserts, try some of my popular recipes:

• Keto Peanut Butter Blondies
• Vegan Fudge (Keto & Paleo)
• Homemade Sugar-free Nutella

If you make this keto orange olive oil cake, please rate it and add your comments below. And be sure to tag @thebespokebites and in your photos and videos on Facebook or Instagram for a chance to be featured!

This Keto Orange Olive Oil Cake was inspired by Cookie and Kate’s Citrus Olive Oil Cake.