A subtly sweet olive oil and fresh strawberry cake with creamy ricotta, textured cornmeal, and a tangy balsamic glaze. This cake is easy to make and perfect any time of day — breakfast, brunch, dessert or a late-night treat.
Why This Recipe Works
- Effortless to prepare. The batter comes together in two bowls with a whisk — no creaming butter required.
- Layered flavors. Fruity extra virgin olive oil, creamy ricotta, slightly gritty cornmeal and bright balsamic-glazed strawberries combine for a cake that’s complex but approachable.
- Balsamic boosts the berries. A little balsamic glaze intensifies the strawberries’ flavor and heightens their natural sweetness.
- Versatile and seasonal. Enjoy it with coffee in the morning, at afternoon tea, or as an elegant dessert.
The goal for this recipe was to create a seasonal summer cake that highlights a quality olive oil and a balsamic glaze. Olive oil and balsamic vinegar are classic partners in savory dishes and salads, and when paired with strawberries they make a delightful, slightly savory-sweet combination. This cake brings those flavors together in a moist, fragrant loaf or skillet cake.
This subtly sweet, very moist cake with a hint of acidity from the balsamic is an ideal summer bake. It has enough texture from the cornmeal to be interesting, while the ricotta keeps the crumb tender and rich.
Baking with Olive Oil
Olive oil is often linked to savory cooking, but it performs beautifully in baked goods. It adds moisture, keeps the cake tender, and lends a fruity, slightly savory depth that butter doesn’t provide. Using olive oil also simplifies the process: there’s no need to soften butter or cream it with sugar. In this recipe you only need to whisk dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another, then combine.
The olive oil flavor is present but not overpowering — choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil with pleasant fruity notes for best results.
How to Make this Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat the oven and grease a 9-inch pan or cast-iron skillet.
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, sugars, baking powder, salt) in one bowl.
- Whisk wet ingredients (olive oil, ricotta, eggs, vanilla) in another bowl.
- Fold the dry into the wet until just combined.
- Slice strawberries and toss with balsamic glaze.
- Fold one-third of the glazed strawberries into the batter.
- Pour batter into the pan, smooth the top, and arrange remaining strawberries on top. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
- Bake until golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool briefly in the pan before serving.
No strawberries? No problem. This cake is great with other berries, figs, stone fruits or halved grapes — adapt it to whatever fruit is in season.
Cook’s Tips
- When possible, choose local, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- Use medium-ground cornmeal for texture without grittiness; coarser meal can feel gritty in the final cake.
- Expect the strawberries to lose volume and sink slightly as the cake bakes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream, plain yogurt, extra ricotta, or an extra drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Strawberry Olive Oil Cake
20 mins
50 mins
Brunch, Dessert
Californian, Italian
10
Daniela Gerson
Ingredients
For the Olive Oil Cake:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Balsamic Glazed Strawberries:
- 2 cups strawberries
- 1/2 cup balsamic glaze
- Handful of fresh herbs (thyme, basil, mint or lavender), optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pan or cast-iron skillet.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, both sugars, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla. Gently add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
- Slice the strawberries and toss them with the balsamic glaze. Fold one-third of the glazed strawberries into the batter with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and arrange the remaining strawberries over the surface. Add fresh herbs if using.
- Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45–55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream, yogurt, extra ricotta or an additional drizzle of balsamic-glazed strawberries.
Notes
- Buy ripe, local strawberries when possible for the best flavor.
- Choose medium-ground cornmeal for pleasant texture; coarser grinds can be gritty.
- Strawberries will lose volume and may sink slightly while baking — that’s normal.
- Serving ideas: vanilla ice cream, plain yogurt, additional ricotta or more fresh strawberries.
Did you make this recipe? Share a photo and tag @danielagerson on social media — it’s always a pleasure to see how this cake turns out in your kitchen.
Want More Strawberry Recipes?
Here are other strawberry-forward ideas worth trying: Strawberry Salsa; Strawberry Burrata Salad; Watermelon Gazpacho with Strawberries; Strawberry Snack Cake; Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp; Strawberry-Rhubarb Galette; Roasted Strawberries.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let the author know how it turned out. Keep exploring seasonal recipes and produce-driven ideas to inspire time in the kitchen.
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