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    Serena Lissy » Recipes » Recipes

    Published: May 14, 2021 · Modified: Jan 24, 2022 by serena · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Olive Oil Carrot Cake

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This olive oil carrot cake is a perfect way to celebrate the spring season. It is full of fresh carrots and bursting with flavor. Not only does carrot cake made with olive oil taste great, but it's also easy to make, which makes it perfect for any occasion!

    Carrot Cake with Olive Oil on a cutting board

    Can You Make a Carrot Cake with Olive Oil?

    Using olive oil for baking is such a great option compared to butter and other refined oils like canola or coconut oil. Olive oil is full of beneficial fatty acids and powerful antioxidants, and it contains mostly monounsaturated fats.

    Since olive oil is heat resistant, it works well in baking applications because it won't become rancid or release carcinogenic compounds during the baking process. You will come away with a moist and flavorful cake that's healthier to boot.

    If you're concerned about the taste, start with a milder olive oil, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised and barely notice the oil flavor in the finished recipe. After learning about and tasting oils at the Cobram Estate, I was inspired to use olive oil in this flavorful carrot cake.

    A Bit About Cobram Estate

    Last week I attended the International Food Blogger Conference (IFBC). Such a fun time out in Sacramento, the farm to fork capital. One of the preconference excursions was a trip to Cobram Estate and a visit with the California Olive Oil Council.  Cobram was named the World's Healthiest Extra Virgin Olive Oil at the 2017 Health & Food EVOO Awards Competition in Spain. Their specialty is cold pressed juice that is not processed and does not contain chemicals or additives. They have exclusive harvesting and crushing techniques. One key item for them is using olives at the peak of freshness and pressing them within four to six hours of being picked from the branch. This makes the most flavorful, healthy, antioxidant-rich and freshest olive oil. I will say I sampled two-day-old olive oil, and I am a believer! Holy cow, that was so good!

    California Olive Oil Council

    The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) is a trade association with the mission of encouraging the consumption of certified California extra virgin olive oil through education, outreach and communications. The COOC has grown to represent over 90% of the olive oil production in California. CBS did a report on the olive oil fraud coming from Italy and how most of it isn't as pure as we think. Quite an interesting watch if you haven't seen it. I'm now convinced why the council is needed. 

    Olive Oil Tasting

    The tour gave us the full olive harvest experience and explained the journey from tree to table. After tasting a few samples, we learned that the flavor of extra virgin olive oil can be buttery and soft or spicy and sharp. It can be reminiscent of pepper, lemon, or grass. Thanks to California’s range of growing conditions and olive varieties, there truly is a California extra virgin olive oil to suit every palate. I'm looking forward to making a return trip just to try other oils.

    Benefits of Fresh Olive Oil

    And as a side note, high quality extra virgin olive oil provides the best health benefits and flavor when it’s fresh. Extra virgin olive oil should be purchased within 12 to 18 months of its harvest date and should be used up within six months of opening. Be sure to store it in a cool, dark place for the best results.

    So, after all the olive oil education and love of the flavor, we decided to go ahead and try an olive oil carrot cake. We started with a base recipe from Cobram and made a few modifications to suit our taste buds. This cake would be great any time of the year, but we decorated it for a lovely fall dessert.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for Olive Oil Carrot Cake
    • Eggs
    • Buttermilk
    • Olive Oil
    • Sugar
    • AP Flour
    • Cinnamon
    • Baking Powder
    • Baking Soda
    • Salt
    • Carrots
    • Powdered Sugar
    • Cream Cheese
    • Olive Oil

    We recommend getting the freshest Olive Oil you have access to. It really does make such a difference.

    How to Make the Cake

    Olive Oil Carrot Cake Process Shot

    This carrot cake is pretty easy, but let's walk through the process together. Begin with two mixing bowls—one for all the dry ingredients except the sugar and carrots. Whisk the dry ingredients together until combined.

    Next, in your stand mixer bowl (you could easily go with a second bowl and mix by hand), combine eggs and buttermilk, then oil. Then add the sugar and mix until thick and foamy.

    Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined. Once combined, stir in your carrots.

    Cream Cheese Frosting

    To make this recipe one step easier, I use my classic cream cheese frosting recipe for the icing. The cream cheese frosting is a go-to for many special occasions. The tangy, smooth consistency of the icing makes it perfect to top off this Olive Oil Carrot Cake with its rich flavor. It’s so smooth, tangy, and glides on the cake seamlessly.

    If you are looking to pipe decorations with this frosting, put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to let it get cold so that it will hold its shape.

    Carrot Cake Success Tips

    • Choose the right carrots: Look for skinny to medium sized. Also, be sure to peel them before grating. Sometimes the skin tastes bitter.
    • Use a food processor: The easiest way to grate your carrots is to use a food processor with the grating attachment. Now, if you don't have one, then a good old box grater will also work.
    • Don't overmix: If you overmix, you run the risk of a dense, tough cake and no one wants that.

    I hope you like the cake as much as we do. It's a simple, delicious carrot cake recipe. Please give it a try and let us know how it goes.

    Looking For More Recipes?

    Subscribe to my free newsletter to get new baking tips in your inbox monthly. Find me sharing new recipes and tips on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook.

    Olive Oil Carrot Cake On Cutting Board

    Olive Oil Carrot Cake

    Flavorful carrot cake is made light and moist with the addition of olive oil. It compliments the earthy flavors and adds airiness without overwhelming the cake.
    5 from 39 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 Pieces
    Calories: 600kcal
    Author: Serena

    Ingredients

    Carrot Cake

    • 3 eggs - room temperature
    • ⅓ cup buttermilk - room temperature
    • 1 ½ cups olive oil
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 3 cups AP flour
    • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 pound carrots peeled and grated

    Frosting

    • 3 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 pound Philadelphia cream cheese
    • 6 oz olive oil

    Instructions

    Cake

    • Preheat oven to 325°F
    • Oil and flour two 8" round pans
    • In a stand mixer, combine eggs and buttermilk on medium speed. Slowly stream in oil.
    • Stream in the sugar and mix until thick and foamy on high speed. This will become a pale lemon yellow in color.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Slowly add into the stand mixer and continue mixing.
    • Once combined, add carrots and mix until just incorporated.
    • Spread into the 8" pans, and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool

    Frosting

    • In a stand mixer, cream the powdered sugar with cream cheese until combined.
    • Slowly stream in the olive oil until incorporated
    • Once cakes have cooled, remove from pan and decorate with the frosting.

    Notes

    Recipe Source: SerenaLissy.com
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database via Spoonacular API, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators. While this information can be helpful in estimating the nutritional information of a recipe, it is by no means accurate or official and is not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
    All images and content are copyright protected. Do not use our images without prior permission.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Piece | Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 4805IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it Today!Mention @SerenaLissy or tag #serenalissy!
    Olive Oil Carrot Cake On Cutting Board

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christian says

      August 10, 2018 at 11:23 pm

      uuuhm where are the walnuts?

      Reply
      • serena says

        August 20, 2018 at 6:22 am

        You could easily add walnuts to the finish decorations if you would like. I'm just not a fan of walnuts

        Reply
      • Suze Powd says

        August 17, 2023 at 6:02 pm

        5 stars
        I added walnuts to this recipe and cake was sublime.

        Reply
    2. Stephanie Chavez says

      October 11, 2017 at 12:01 pm

      Hi Serena,

      What a fun trip that was, wasn't it?! I'm still dreaming about those little cupcakes we had on the excursion. I love how you presented it. Your cake looks beautiful!

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 12, 2017 at 6:17 pm

        Such a fun trip! Those cupcakes were the inspriation of this cake. Thanks so much 🙂

        Reply
    3. Christina Shoemaker says

      October 11, 2017 at 6:24 am

      This is stunning! I love how beautifully you've decorated it. It makes it totally WOW for Fall!

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:12 am

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    4. Felesha Bell says

      October 11, 2017 at 4:28 am

      What a beauty!!! I've never tried baking with olive oil. Looks like a delicious way to start!!

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:13 am

        I haven't used olive oil much in baking either, but I will say this is such a moist cake I'm going to give it a try in a few other things.

        Reply
    5. Kate says

      October 11, 2017 at 4:07 am

      Lovely recipe and it's great to learn more about California olive oil.

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:13 am

        That industry has so much going on I had no idea all the good things happening with it.

        Reply
    6. Cliona Keane says

      October 11, 2017 at 3:57 am

      That really looks gorgeous! It'd go down a treat in my house!

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:14 am

        I'll say it didn't last long for us!

        Reply
    7. Mel says

      October 11, 2017 at 3:41 am

      I've never tried making carrot cake with olive oil: I am quite naughty and I always use butter 🙂 Your cake looks absolutely scrumptious and I'm going to give olive oil a go next time I make carrot cake. Thanks for inspiring me to make changes!

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:15 am

        Thanks so much! I was surprised how many things they were making with olive oil. We even had cocktails with some oil. Give it a try!

        Reply
    8. Mabintu says

      October 11, 2017 at 2:29 am

      What a interesting ingredient to add to a carrot cake - bet it tastes delicious! I will have to give it a try

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:15 am

        It was delicious! Definitely use good quality and you will be so surprised. Delicious!

        Reply
    9. Jessica @ Desserts With Benefits says

      October 10, 2017 at 2:59 pm

      Oh my god, never would’ve thought to use olive oil in carrot cake! Genius idea! Also, this cake is absolutely stunning. Great job on the decoration 🙂
      I wish I could’ve made it to the conference... I had a ticket but just couldn’t swing the flight and hotel. Sounds like a blast! I’ve tasted Cobram Estates EVOO before and was pleasantly surprised <3

      Reply
      • serena says

        October 11, 2017 at 7:19 am

        Thanks! I have such an awesome kitchen helper. The decorating really was a team effort. It was a really fun conference. I'm in California today and just had dinner last night with a wonderful lady I met at the conference. Love making new friends at these events.

        Reply

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