Italian Orange Olive Oil Honey Cake Recipe: A Shortcut Mediterranean Dessert (7 Ingredients) by Susan Evind

It’s easy to turn a standard yellow box cake mix into a moist Italian orange olive oil honey cake. The trick is to swap the water for fresh orange juice and milk, and replace standard vegetable oil or butter for a mild extra-virgin olive oil. This easy shortcut recipe is so moist and delicious!

To make this Italian orange honey olive oil cake recipe you only need a handful of simple ingredients from your fridge and pantry. Here is your short shopping list for this Italian dessert recipe: a box of yellow cake mix (I used Dolly Parton's yellow cake mix), extra-virgin olive oil (read about the health benefits of olive oil) eggs, oranges for juicing and zesting (oranges have health benefits), milk, honey (check out the health benefits of honey) and optional powdered sugar for dusting the cake. You can use these same ingredients to make the optional glaze for the top.

Photo credit: Susan Evind

Serve this moist orange and honey-flavored cake for dessert after dinner, as a sweet snack or even for breakfast with a cup of coffee or hot tea or as part of an elegant brunch spread.

Cuisine: Italian / Mediterranean / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 15 ounces (1 box) yellow cake mix
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup mild extra virgin olive oil (choose a delicate, fruity variety rather than a strong, peppery one)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 
• 1/2 cup milk (or water, but milk adds extra moisture)
• zest from 1 orange
• 2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons honey (use a mild honey)
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Optional Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Here's how to make it: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, springform pan or loaf pan with cooking spray or a light coat of olive oil.
2. Combine all wet ingredients (olive oil, eggs, orange juice, milk, honey and fresh orange zest) in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly. 
3. Add the yellow cake mix and whisk or beat the ingredients together until smooth and no dry pockets of mix remain. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. 
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes (depending on your pan size), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Turn out onto plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle optional glaze.
5. To make the glaze, simply stir together all the ingredients. Store the cake in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
   

Photo credit: under license from BigStock

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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