Honey Olive Oil Loaf Cake

This recipe and blog post were made possible thanks to Filippo Berio.

It’s no secret that I love to bake; I always have an assortment of homemade confections in my kitchen. While I love to indulge in my favorite treats, I need balance just like everyone else does!

A recent trip to Greece has got me enamored by lemons, honey and olive oil. And also the Mediterranean diet! I’ve since been exploring the principles of the Mediterranean diet. It’s all about consuming lots of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes, and olive oil. No restrictive diets around here—the Mediterranean diet is more focused on adding nutritious foods than taking away perceived vices.

Don’t get me wrong…I still love my cakes! I developed this recipe for Honey Olive Oil Loaf Cake with Filippo Berio to show that you can bake with wholesome ingredients to make a more nourishing dessert. You can have your cake and eat it, too! In this recipe, I use Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil and full fat Greek yogurt, both of which help yield a moist, tender cake. The olive oil adds a subtle earthiness, while the tangy yogurt mellows the cake’s sweetness. I went for honey as the main sweetener because it’s less processed than sugar and has a warm, round flavor that compliments olive oil nicely.

If baking with olive oil is a new concept for you, it might change your life! It’s a good-for-you oil that keeps your cake from drying out, and if you’re unsure about its savory flavor profile, just give it a try! You’ll see that the olive oil ensures that the cake isn’t cloying. I love using Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil in this cake; it’s high quality, accessible, and delicious. 

I hope you give this super simple Honey Olive Oil Loaf Cake a try. If you know how to whisk ingredients together, you know how to make it! 

Honey Olive Oil Loaf Cake

Makes 1 (9-5-inch) loaf

Serves 8

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon lemon zest, plus more for decorating
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup full fat greek yogurt
¾ cups honey
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
seasonal fruit, for decorating

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and grease and flour a standard 9×5-inch l loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, lemon zest, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully combined.

3. In a small bowl whisk eggs, yogurt, honey, and ½ cup Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil until fully combined and lightly frothy. Use a rubber spatula to fold the liquids into the dry ingredients until no pockets of flour remain.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake until a cake tester (such as a toothpick) comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool the loaf in the pan on a baking rack for 15 minutes then invert to remove cake: flip and cool completely on the cooling rack.

5. While the cake cools, whisk remaining 1 tablespoon Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil, confectioners’ sugar, and lemon juice until fully combined. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and decorate with lemon zest and seasonal fruit.

Note: This cake keeps for several days. Store at room temperature in a cake dome or wrapped in plastic.