Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake with Orange Glaze

Name: Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp pumpkin spice; 1 ½ tsp orange zest; 1 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; 1 cup pumpkin puree; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup olive oil; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup powdered sugar; 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice; 1 ½ tsp orange zest

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This pumpkin olive oil cake is one of the best fall recipes! Perfect for brunch, dessert, or a quiet cozy treat with a cup of coffee. Pumpkin and olive oil keep the cake tender and moist, with flavors of pumpkin spice, fruity olive oil, and citrusy orange zest shining through. It’s a naturally dairy free recipe without any expensive substitutes (always the best types of recipes in my opinion!).

A slice of pumpkin olive oil cake on a plate, with a platter with the rest of the cake in the background.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need for the cake itself:

Flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin puree, olive oil, sugar, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla, all on a white backdrop.

If you want to make the glaze to go on top (which is optional but recommended!), here’s what you’ll need for that:

Powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest on a white backdrop.

Here are some helpful ingredient notes:

Olive oil – This adds a unique flavor in the recipe, so try to stick with it if possible. High quality olive oil is typically a mixture of fruity, peppery, and slightly bitter notes. It pairs well with the pumpkin and orange zest in this cake.

Pumpkin puree – Look for plain canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. (The latter is already sweetened and spiced, which throws off the flavor in this recipe).

Pumpkin spice – The quintessential fall flavor! If you don’t have pumpkin spice on hand, just substitute with ¾ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, and ¼ tsp nutmeg.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Start by mixing together the dry ingredients: the flour, pumpkin spice, orange zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Flour, pumpkin spice, orange zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt mixed together in a bowl.

In another large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla.

Pumpkin puree, sugar, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla mixed together in a bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.

Pour into a greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake at 350°F for 23-26 minutes. You want to pull the cake when a toothpick pulls out clean from the center, but avoid overbaking past that point.

A just-baked pumpkin olive oil cake still in the pan.

Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then flip it onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once it’s completely cool, flip it onto a serving plate or platter. As you can see below, sometimes you get some lines from the cooling rack. Hey, you win some, you lose some. 😉

A cake on a serving platter with some lines on top from the cooling rack.

If you want to add the glaze, make it by mixing together the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest.

Pour that on top of the cooled cake.

Now dig in and enjoy!

A pumpkin olive oil cake topped with an orange citrus glaze.

Recipe FAQ

Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:

How should you store pumpkin olive oil cake?

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze.

Can you freeze pumpkin cake?

Yes, however this is best to freeze without the glaze. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap or tin foil, then place in a ziptop bag or airtight container. This will help it retain freshness. Use within 3 months for optimal quality. When ready to enjoy, thaw on the counter for a few hours. You can add glaze once thawed if you’d like.

Can you make the cake without the glaze?

Yes, this cake is delicious as-is – you do not have to prepare the glaze if you don’t want to. The cake itself also pairs beautifully with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, a drizzle of maple syrup, a drizzle of peanut butter, or a dusting of powdered sugar. It is also great plain alongside a cup of coffee.

Allergens in this Recipe

Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.

As written, this recipe is dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, and soy free.

This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the flour) and eggs (in the eggs). I have not tested an egg substitute in this recipe. If you want to make the recipe wheat/gluten free, a measure-for-measure gluten free flour blend should work.

A close up of a slice of pumpkin olive oil cake showing the tender interior.

More Dairy Free Cakes

If you’re looking for more dairy free cake recipes, be sure to give one of these a try:

I hope you enjoy this pumpkin orange olive oil cake recipe! I’m a big fan of anything fall-themed like this. If you get a chance to try it, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.