I love olive oil and use it in many ways in cooking and baking. It's high in healthy antioxidants, monounsaturated fatty acids and is produced in a wide range of flavor intensities ranging from very mild to fairly strong profiles.
Although some bakers recommend it as an all-purpose substitute for butter, or non-dairy baking sticks, I use it in more of a targeted way to produce specific tastes and textures, sometimes on its own but often combined with other fats such as butter. Using olive oil in cakes, muffins and cupcakes brings a heightened level of moisture to the bake.
This olive oil cake has such simple ingredients that it's a bit surprising it turns out something so excellent. Trying is believing. The base recipe offers quite a few flavor pivot points for you, starting with your olive oil.
A few things to keep in mind as you prepare:
there's enough olive oil in this recipe that it serves as a major taste factor
be very conscious of the olive oil you use and the flavor you want - light and grassy, peppery, artichoke-y, fruity, olive-y
make sure it's fresh - check by smelling
the sequence of incorporation matters a lot here, because of the ratio of liquids to solids, and requires patience to absorb - for a quick visual on this topic see my video just below.
bake time is a guideline, watch for the center of the cake to be just past "jiggly" and that the edges of the cake are pulling away from the sides.
I have a favorite flavor combination: a fairly acidic orange paired with saffron. The result is something that's floral, earthy and sweet. You won't soon forget the somewhat exotic aromas and tastes. I can't not mention that I, also, LOVE the combination of cardamom and a slightly sweeter orange, such as Cara Cara. The citrus, minty flavor of the cardamom works well with a slightly less acidic citrus.
In the end, you know it's about experimenting. So, it's time to bake! Play with ingredients and flavors, and Happy Bendy Baking!