This Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake is made with extra virgin olive oil, grapefruit zest, and real grapefruit juice for a super simple light and airy cake that will blow you away with grapefruit flavor. It comes together in less than 10 minutes and takes less than 30 minutes in the oven without any special equipment or techniques.

This cake will make you go, “Oooo!”. Grapefruit is not a flavor typically used in cakes, but it is so good and a great way to try something different, a sweet foodie experience!
The texture is light the entire way through. The top of the cake, however, has the thinnest of thin crispy crust. I’ve never experienced such a thin and light crispy top to a cake before (like ultra-thin) – So Good! Dust it with powdered sugar and it’ll look fancy without any real extra effort.
Jump to:
- Recipe Inspiration
- Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Choosing Olive Oil
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
- Troubleshooting: Common Issues and How to Avoid Them
- Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- If You're Interested In Other Desserts, You May Love These:
- Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Recipe Inspiration
I lived in Barcelona, Spain, for two years while doing my MBA. I had always loved to cook with extra virgin olive oil, but after literally living among olive trees for two years (they were everywhere: on the streets and up in the hills at the edge of the city) I became obsessed with olives. Olives were also served as an hors d’oeuvre at many, many restaurants (just like some American restaurants offer a free basket of bread).
I had wanted to experiment with olive oil cakes for a long while since my time on the Mediterranean. So, I made half a dozen olive oil cakes with several different variations like lemon and lemon rosemary, and I loved them all. They are super, super light and airy and simple in the best way. The best desserts are the ones where the key ingredients shine: in this case the olive oil and grapefruit.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
Grapefruit: This cake uses grapefruit zest and a small amount of grapefruit juice, for a sweet summery-tasting treat.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This cake is made with extra virgin olive oil rather than butter or vegetable oil. The olive oil is rich and gives an almost buttery taste with a hint of herby, fragrant olive oil.
Light and Airy: This is a simple, light, and airy cake.
Choosing Olive Oil
The olive oil that you choose for this cake will have a big impact on the overall taste of the cake. Extra virgin olive oil has a stronger taste than regular olive oil. It is fruitier and herbier and is quite delicious (especially when you use it to make panko-crusted chicken cutlets like in this Pesto Bruschetta Chicken). Choose an extra virgin olive oil that you already know that you like.
If you don’t have a favorite already, I recommend choosing a Spanish olive oil from Trader Joe’s or Costco. Spain is one of the largest olive oil producers in the world and often exports its olive oil to Italy to be packaged in Italian olive oils. It is typically not well marketed in the US, but it is very high quality. You don’t need to purchase an expensive specialty bottle of olive oil, there are plenty of great options at moderate prices.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake.

- Milk: Use whole milk only, not reduced fat.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This cake is all about the olive oil, so be sure to use extra virgin olive oil (not regular olive oil).
- Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
- Grapefruit Zest: To zest the grapefruit use the smallest grate on a box grater (or a zester). Be sure to zest only the bright outermost part of the grapefruit. Stop before you get to the inner portion that is no longer bright and shiny.
- Grapefruit Juice: Use real grapefruit juice. You’ll need a real grapefruit for the grapefruit zest, so you can use some of the juice from the already zested grapefruit. Consider juicing the entire grapefruit and drinking the remaining portion 😉.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla. Vanilla extract can be expensive, so if you plan to bake somewhat regularly consider buying a bottle of vanilla extract at Costco, which can be more economical.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness. I find that ¾ cup is the exact right amount. It's not too sweet but it's still dessert. However, it can be reduced to as little as ½ cup or up to 1 cup for a very sweet dessert.
- Baking Powder: For leavening. Once the baking powder is added it is important to get the cake in the oven quickly. Baking powder is double-acting. The first reaction happens when the baking powder comes in contact with liquid. You may even start to see it bubble and fizz when adding it to the batter. If the cake batter is left out too long on the counter before putting it in the oven the baking powder will have already reacted and you will be left with a flat cake.
- Salt: To balance and bring out flavor.
- Flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
There are so many amazing variations that you can make with a citrus olive oil cake. Here are two of my favorites:
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake: Light and airy with a classic lemon citrus flavor.
- Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake: A take on lemon olive oil cake with the addition of some floral rosemary which is infused into the olive oil before baking.
- Lemon Blueberry Olive Oil Cake: Combines the spring and summer flavors of bright lemon and juicy blueberries.
- Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake: A layer cake for a special occasion uses lemon curd filling and an easy mascarpone frosting.
- You can also make this into a pound cake or loaf cake by using a loaf pan and extending the baking time.
How to Make Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake.
*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare a 9-inch springform or cake pan by buttering and flouring it or lining it with parchment paper and buttering and flouring it.
Step 2. Add the whole milk, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, and vanilla extract and combine.

Step 3. Add the sugar and combine.
Step 4. Add the baking powder and salt and combine.

Step 5. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix. Some small lumps are okay.

Step 6. Pour the batter into the prepared springform (or cake) pan and bake at 350℉ for 26-28 minutes.
The cake is done when the top has a nice rounded dome to it and it is lightly brown. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean.
Troubleshooting: Common Issues and How to Avoid Them
- Texture: To ensure a light and airy texture do not overmix the batter. Stir in the flour until just incorporated. A few lumps and bumps are just fine and will bake out in the oven. Overmixing can cause gluten development which leads to a dense and tough cake (something you want in your pizza crust, but not in your cake).
- Sinking in the Middle: The biggest issue that you may come across is your cake sinking in the middle. This can be avoided by paying close attention to the cake towards the end of the baking time. The top should be domed and a light golden brown in the center. I highly suggest doing the toothpick test by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake on the early side of the allotted baking time. The toothpick should come out fully clean without any wet or moist crumbs. If it does come out clean you know that the cake is fully baked, which means it will not sink in the middle once it is taken out of the oven.
- Sticking to the Pan: To prevent the cake from sticking to the pan, coat the pan with butter then dust it with flour. Using a springform pan makes it a little easier to get the cake in and out of the pan cleanly. However, a cake pan will work just fine too if that’s what you have on hand. You can also consider lining the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Butter the bottom of the pan, cut out a circle of parchment paper the same size as the bottom. Place the parchment paper on the butter, then flip it over. Now the bottom and the top of the parchment paper are both coated in butter. Butter the sides of the pan as well and dust with flour.
Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake FAQs
It is important that you use extra virgin olive oil. The stronger the taste of the olive oil the more it will pull through in the taste of the cake. I recommend a moderately priced Spanish olive oil which can be found at Trader Joe's or Costco.
You can substitute grapefruit with most other citrus fruits like orange or lemon. Just use 1 tablespoon of the juice and zest (use the zest of 2 lemons or 2 oranges).
To adjust the recipe for different pan sizes add the batter to the pan of your choice. If the pan is deeper than a cake pan you will need to extend the baking time. For a standard loaf pan, the baking time will be anywhere between 35-50 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

Serving Suggestions
- Powder Sugar: The cake is best served on its own or with a light dusting of powdered sugar. I like to keep it simple and let the cake itself shine.
- Whipped Cream: If you want a little something extra, whip up some fresh whipped cream which can be served alongside the cake.
- Dessert Wine: You could consider serving this cake with a sweet dessert wine to complement the simple cake.
If You're Interested In Other Desserts, You May Love These:
If you tried this Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear your feedback!

Grapefruit Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- zest of 1 large grapefruit
- 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tsps baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the whole milk, extra virgin olive oil, eggs, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, and vanilla extract.
- Add the granulated sugar and stir to combine. Add the baking powder and salt and combine.
- Add the flour and combine.
- Bake for 26-28 minutes or until the top has a nice rounded dome, it is lightly brown and a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Once the cake has cooled, you can dust it lightly with powdered sugar (optional).
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