Blood Orange & Olive Oil Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Ready In: 30-40 mins
- Serves: 10 people
This Blood Orange & Almond Cake is soft, fragrant, and deeply moist, with a tender crumb that melts into each bite. The almond flour gives it a delicate richness, while fresh blood orange juice and zest bring a bright, citrusy lift that feels both refreshing and indulgent.
The sweetness is balanced and rounded, allowing the natural flavour of the oranges to shine through, while the cream cheese frosting adds a smooth, tangy finish that contrasts perfectly with the nutty base. It’s the kind of cake that feels equally at home as an afternoon treat with coffee or dressed up as a dessert.
Serve it slightly chilled for a firmer texture, or at room temperature when the crumb is at its softest and most aromatic. A scattering of pistachios or slices of blood orange on top adds both texture and a striking finish.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (160°C fan). Lightly grease and line a 20–23 cm cake tin with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, freshly squeezed blood orange juice, zest, honey, eggs, vanilla, and caster sugar until smooth and glossy. Take a moment here, the more thoroughly the sugar dissolves, the better the final texture of the cake.
- Add the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into the bowl. Fold gently until fully incorporated; the batter will be thick but fluid.
- Allow the batter to rest for 5–10 minutes. This brief pause helps the almond flour absorb the liquid, resulting in a more tender crumb.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is risen, golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. Beat the butter until pale and aerated, about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and continue beating until smooth and fully incorporated. Gradually add the icing sugar, allowing each addition to disappear before adding more. Once all the sugar has been incorporated, continue beating for a further 8 minutes, until the frosting is light, silky, and easy to spread.
Please note:
With both honey and fruit sugars in the batter, the cake tends to colour quickly. If it begins to brown too much, reduce the oven temperature slightly after the first 20 minutes and continue baking until done.
Ingredients
For the cake
145 g Perelló olive oil
120 g blood orange juice (freshly squeezed)
Zest of 2 blood oranges
2 tbsp honey
4 large eggs
200 g caster sugar
10 g vanilla extract
400 g almond flour
5 g baking soda
5 g baking powder
3 g salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
500 g icing sugar
113 g butter (room temperature)
230 g cream cheese (room temperature)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Navel oranges, clementines, or even pink grapefruit work well if blood oranges aren’t in season. The flavour will be slightly milder but the recipe works the same way.
This usually happens if the batter hasn’t rested before baking, or if the oven door is opened too early. Let the batter rest for the full 5–10 minutes and avoid opening the oven before the 25-minute mark.
Yes. Freeze the unfrosted sponge, well wrapped, for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature and add the frosting before serving.
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