Name: Orange Thyme Olive Oil Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 9 Servings
Cuisine: American

Cooking with Conks Verified

February 2, 2026

This Orange Thyme Olive Oil Cake is the perfect way to celebrate citrus season. It’s soft, moist, spongy, and it has the most delicious orange glaze. This mouthwatering cake is also totally plant-based, but even fans of dairy and real eggs will love it. Baked in a loaf pan, it’s also a nice size and the perfect dessert for your next tea party!

From the Cook

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Orange Thyme Olive Oil Cake

Cooking with Conks Verified

Ingredients

WarningWheat and 2 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt).

Make a flax “egg” by mixing the flaxseed meal with the water and let sit for about 7 minutes to thicken slightly.

Whisk together the orange juice and the milk and let sit for a few minutes. Doing this will mimic buttermilk, which helps react with the baking soda.

In a large bowl, add the sugar, 1 ½ tbsp orange zest, and the thyme. Rub them together with your fingers to infuse the sugar with orange and thyme flavors.

To the bowl with the sugar, mix in the olive oil, then the milk and orange juice mixture.

Add the vanilla and the flax egg.

Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined (don’t overmix).

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out mostly clean and the middle looks cooked through. Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes, then gently transfer cake to a serving dish to cool.

Whisk together the glaze ingredients and pour glaze over the cake (can be done when cake is still slightly warm, or can let it cool completely first).

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Zest Maximization 🍊
Always zest your oranges before juicing to capture maximum flavor intensity and ensure you don't waste any precious citrus oils.
Thyme Infusion Technique 🌿
Crush fresh thyme leaves gently between your fingers before adding to the batter to release their essential oils and enhance the herb's aromatic profile.
Flaxseed Egg Activation 🥚
When using flaxseed meal as an egg replacement, let it sit for 5-7 minutes to develop a gel-like consistency that mimics egg binding properties.
Olive Oil Quality Matters 🫒
Choose a high-quality, extra virgin olive oil with a mild flavor profile to complement the delicate citrus and herb notes without overpowering the cake.
Glaze Application Pro-Tip 🍰
Allow the cake to cool completely before applying the orange glaze to prevent absorption and ensure a beautiful, glossy finish.

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About the Cook

Cooking with Conks

We’re Rachel & Emily Conklin (“Conks” for short), sisters, lifelong foodies, and the voices behind Cooking with Conks. We grew up in Southern California, surrounded by bold flavors, big family meals, and the kind of kitchen chaos that turns into inside jokes