12 of Our Best Oil-Based Cake Recipes

By Stacey Ballis
February 09, 2021
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Butter, for all its pleasures, can be a nemesis when baking. Recipes using butter require that butter be at the optimal temperature, and this? Is not ideal for impulse baking. Oil-based cakes are simple, often one-bowl no-fuss batters and they bake up moist and tender. Here are a dozen of our best oil-based cake recipes, for plenty of inspiration that will get you baking… maybe even right now!

Start Slideshow

1 of 12

Blackberry Jam Cake

Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Cindy Barr; Food Styling: Torie Cox
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Inspired by her Aunt Julie’s blackberry jam cake, Damaris Phillips created this showstopping version. The caramel cream cheese frosting is slightly savory to balance out the sweetness of this three-layer cake.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 12

Orange-Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla Glaze

Credit: Alison Miksch; Food Styling: Cat Steele; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This cake uses fruity olive oil to boost the deep citrus flavor of the cake, which is a perfect choice for afternoon snacking.

3 of 12

Bribery Cake

Credit: Nicole Franzen/Ten Speed Press
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This recipe is from Odette Williams' Simple Cake, a compendium of approachable, delicious cakes for celebrating every day. Per Williams, this cake is "A not-too-sweet chocolate cake, topped with silky Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, sprinkled with a little sea salt crunch: This is the cake you bake to help you or a loved one get across the finish line."

Advertisement

4 of 12

Canola Oil Pound Cake with Browned Butter Glaze

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Heart-healthy canola oil helps lighten this classic dessert. And an ingenious technique of soaking a vanilla bean in the oil adds deep, rich flavor.

5 of 12

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Credit: Petrina Tinslay
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

"I have a friend who has celiac disease, and he moaned to me that he'd never eat another chocolate cake. So I did this gluten-free recipe for him. It's my go-to dessert right now; it's like a fudgy brownie."

6 of 12

Lemon-Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Rosemary lends evergreen essence, while olive oil enhances the flavor and maintains the moist texture of this Mediterranean-inspired cake. You can prepare it up to 2 weeks ahead and freeze, unglazed; top thawed cake with glaze before serving to your guests. Casual yet elegant, it's a fine finish for a dinner party and also makes a well-chosen addition to a dessert buffet.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 12

Rainbow Layer Cake

Credit: Beth Branch
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Actually taste the rainbow with a vibrant 7-layer rainbow cake! Tip: Use liquid gel or gel-paste food coloring for a deeper, richer color as opposed to its traditional liquid counterpart.

8 of 12

Cappuccino Bundt Cake

Credit: Mark Thomas; Styling: Stephana Bottom
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This cappuccino Bundt cake will take your coffee break to the next level and is ideal for brunches.

9 of 12

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

Credit: Jeff Kauck
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Wheat germ and canola oil boost the nutrition profile of this simple dessert by adding vitamin E. Granny Smith apples remain firm and pleasantly tart when cooked. For a sweeter apple that also holds up well when cooked, try Braeburn.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 12

Lemon Polenta Cake with Winter Fruit Compote

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This rustic cake has a slight crunch from cornmeal, and a mixture of winter fruits balances the tangy lemon flavor. The compote is best served at room temperature or slightly warm.

11 of 12

Cinnamon Streusel Coffeecake

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Cindy Manning Barr
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A cinnamon coffee cake might be one of the best-smelling cakes you can bake, and this is a great one to have in your repertoire. (Pro tip: Soften brown sugar that's hard and dry by placing it in the microwave for a few seconds.)

12 of 12

Yellow Squash Bundt Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

This Yellow Squash Bundt Cake is a delicious way to use up a prolific seasonal squash harvest and is guaranteed to change the minds of even the staunchest squash-detractors. Bright yellow squash boosts the golden hue of this lemony cake, helping to create a tender and moist texture. Both straightneck and crookneck squash will work in this recipe, but straightneck squash is easier to grate.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Stacey Ballis