A wholesome and delicious cake you can enjoy without all the guilt! It’s 100% whole grain, made without refined sugar, made with olive oil, and packed with nuts and quinoa. And the best part of all: You’ll never guess it’s “healthy”! This Honey Olive Quinoa Cake recipe is sure to become a regular!  Enjoy it for breakfast, as a mid-morning pick-me-up, or a late afternoon snack. It’s downright delicious!
My family’s health is a top priority and so I’m always looking for ways to incorporate healthy ingredients into my cooking and baking. This was especially the case when our kids were really young I had to be more creative in camouflaging some of those ingredients that may otherwise elicit a wrinkled nose and frown. That’s how some of my recipes like my Chocolate Deception Cake and Mega Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes were born. This Honey Olive Quinoa Cake was created in that same spirit of wanting to make something that was packed with healthy ingredients but didn’t taste “healthy”.
This cake was a home run straight out of the oven. I published this back in 2013, about 6 months after launching my blog, and it was an immediate reader favorite. It’s made from 100% spelt flour (easier to digest than regular wheat flour), honey, buttermilk, ground almonds, a whole cup of cooked quinoa, and olive oil! Completely whole grain, made with healthy oil, no refined sugar, and packed with quinoa and nuts, and it’s absolutely downright delicious. And I don’t mean just from the standpoint of, “considering what’s in it, it’s really good.”  No, I mean it’s fantastic in its own right.
If you’re a little nervous about the taste of the olive oil and quinoa in this cake, set your fears aside. Â 1) You won’t even taste the olive oil, and 2) You’ll never guess there’s quinoa is in it – and neither will your kids!
Honey Olive Quinoa Cake Recipe
Let’s get started!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To cook the quinoa, thoroughly rinse about 1/3 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve (this removes the saponin, a natural coating on quinoa’s outer layer that is bitter and soapy tasting). Â Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with double the amount of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Â Remove from the heat and let sit another 5 minutes, still covered. Â Fluff with a fork.
Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add the olive oil and the honey.
Add the buttermilk, eggs vanilla and almond extract.
Beat with an electric mixer just until combined. Â Do not over-mix.
Gently stir in the almond flour.
Gently stir in the quinoa.
Stir in the raisins or dried fruit of your choice.
The second time I made the cake I used a combination of golden and regular raisins and some dried apricots. Â I think I prefer just the raisins in this particular cake, but feel free to use other dried fruits, including prunes, figs, dates, etc.
Grease a 8×8 inch square baking pan. Â I use the hand-forged aluminum pans by Magic Line, made in the USA. Â Love them!
Pour the cake batter into the baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean but moist.
Use a toothpick to poke holes throughout the cake. The small holes will enable the syrup to penetrate the cake.
To make the syrup, bring the honey and almond extract to a gentle boil, then remove from the heat. Â While the cake is still warm, slowly pour the syrup over the cake, starting at the center, using the back of a spoon or a knife to help guide the syrup and prevent it from rushing to the sides of the pan.
Cut the cake into squares.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
For more wholesome desserts be sure to try our:Â Â
- Chocolate Deception Cake
- Mega Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes
- Whole Grain Molasses Cookies
- Whole Grain Jam Squares
- Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies (3 Ingredients)
- Mega Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
Honey Olive Quinoa Cake
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups spelt or einkorn flour (can use whole wheat instead)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey (the raisins also impart sweetness so you can reduce the honey if you prefer)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (can substitute 1/2 cup milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar stirred in, let sit 5 minutes)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon quality pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup golden or regular raisins , or dried fruit of choice (e.g., apricots, prunes)
- For the Syrup:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
- To cook the quinoa, thoroughly rinse about 1/3 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve (this removes the saponin, a natural coating on quinoa's outer layer that is bitter and soapy tasting). Place the quinoa in a small saucepan with double the amount of water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit another 5 minutes, still covered. Fluff with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8x8 inch square baking pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the olive oil, honey, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and almond extract and use an electric mixer to blend just until combined. Do not over-mix. Gently stir in the almond flour followed by the raisins. Pour the cake batter into the greased baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean but moist.
- For the syrup: Bring the honey and almond extract to a gentle boil in a small saucepan then remove from heat.Use a toothpick to poke holes throughout the cake. While the cake is still warm, slowly pour the syrup over the cake, using the back of a spoon or a knife to guide the syrup to prevent it all from rushing to the edges. Let the cake sit a few minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 3, 2013
Kasha says
I made this cake last night, it turned out delicious, I added dates and apricots…thank you Kimberly ;) I also made your peanut butter cookies with olive oil because I haven’t had coconut oil at home, and they turned out very good as well. Thanks again, very good and very healthy and easy to make :)
I’ll try the pancakes next. Take care
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Kasha! Thank you for making this cake and the cookies and I really appreciate your feedback! Best, Kimberly
Anonymous says
My cake is in the oven right now…but I put it one cup of UNCOOKED quinoa instead of one cup of COOKED quinoa – three times as much, noooo!!! Ruined cake :(
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Oh nooooo!! :( I know, I’ve made big mistakes too, like leaving a major ingredient out. It happens to the best of best us and we just roll with the punches!
Elena says
I made the quinoa almond choc cake last week and I loved it!!! Using quinoa in a cakes is a brilliant idea!! A way to get my siblings and friends to eat quinoa haha!! I definitely have to try this recipe but what other syrup can I replace honey with? Besides agave syrup? I’m afraid my honey would be too sweet if I would used it as a glaze. I’m not sure if raw honey is less sweet compared to store bought honey :( mine is store bought.
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Elena! I’m so happy you made the Chocolate Almond Quinoa Cake! I love that cake! For this Mega Healthy cake, I think you’ll be okay with the honey on the sweetness factor. The cake itself is not overly sweet, so the honey won’t overpower it. Raw honey is just as sweet as regular – both will do fine. Happy baking and let me know what you think!
Elena says
OHMYGOD, I just made this cake and IT IS AMAZING. I’m not sure how much olive oil I put in the cake but its not much at all, I think I put less than a quarter cup actually, but it turned out SO MOIST and YUM. and you were right!! the honey was as sweet as I thought!!(thought, i cheated and put in abit of water in the syrup,hehe). I’m absolutely loving it!! The weird part was that my cake had a dome shape, the center of the cake rise more than the other parts. Maybe because I was using a springform pan? hmm, anyway! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Elena!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Dome shape…there are several factors that could be causing that but oven temperature is the most common. Often if the temperature is too high it can cause the cake to dome. Of if you’re using a convection oven it can do that, so you would need to reduce the temperature. Elevation can also be an issue. Another trick is to add a little extra baking powder and that often will keep the middle from rising. Thanks for your feedback!
Anonymous says
Thank you for your enthusiasm and especially your detailed instructions on how to make your Honey Olive Oil Quinoa cake – I am going to run out and get the ingredients and make it this evening. Thank you again.
The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear you’re making this and would love your feedback once you’ve had the chance to try it!
Lindsay says
Hi, can you use 1% milk instead of the buttermilk and vanilla extract instead of the almond extract? I have a food tolerance to the above and can’t eat them.
Thanks
Lindsay
The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lindsay! The buttermilk has properties in it that serve as a “tenderizer”, making the cake soft and moist. You can definitely use any kind of milk in its place, it just won’t be quite as moist. The almond extract makes a huge difference in the flavor of the cake. Almond extract doesn’t have real almonds in it – it’s purely artificial. I know several people with nut allergies who use almond extract all the time. You can do a little research and even confirm it with your doctor so that you can feel comfortable using it, but from what I know, you’re perfectly safe using almond extract.
Anonymous says
Seriously….one of the most delicious things to ever come out of my kitchen. You’re a genius! In the last few days I’ve made this and your peanut butter cookies. Also incredible. Can’t wait to try more!
The Daring Gourmet says
Oh my goodness, you have SO made my day!! Honestly, you don’t know how happy I am to hear that!! Thank you so much for making both recipes and for your feedback!
Susan says
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was delicious!!! Thank you!
The Daring Gourmet says
Oh, I’m so happy someone’s finally made this!!! Thank you, Susan! My family really enjoys this cake. It’s become a standard now. And I get so thrilled knowing what’s in it while I’m savoring each bite :)
summer c says
Id love to try their Lemon Poppyseed Waffles with blueberry syrup…. YUMMERS http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=1029
janet robinson says
I have never tried olive oil in my baking but this makes me want to try. I use it mostly with cooking dinner. Pesto pasta is my favorite. http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=554
Candy says
Hi Kimberly. I like the Green Olive Pesto. Here is the link to it: http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=242 I like it because it reminds me of an olive sauce I use to make in Peru to put into burgers. It was yummy. I like to use olive oil in any thing I make. One in particular is my Cajun Chicken Alfredo pasta. Is a copycat recipe from Red Lobster but I think I like mine better lol. I have never use this brand of olive oil,so I would love to try it. They have some very yummy recipes in the website. I think I will make some of them.
Kimberly says
Brushetta with Portabellas http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=75
I love to use olive oil in salad dressings the most or to just flavor it with garlic and herbs and use it to dip fresh homemade bread! A good quality olive oil is just so good, I don’t like to mask it’s flavor too much!
Nicole (MyLoveForCooking) says
I CANNOT wait to make this! We are on the exact same page with feeding lovies…I am a pro at smoothies no one believes I get my babies to drink and I actually add quinoa (like my chocolate pudding the babies love) and other ingredients every chance I get. Thank you for sharing this! :)
The Daring Gourmet says
Nicole, that’s so awesome!! Well, it sounds like we’re kindred spirits :) I seriously add almost 2 cups of raw kale to my toddler’s smoothie every day along with a ton of other ridiculously healthy ingredients! I often add cooked quinoa to my infant’s food as well, including her pureed foods. I’m excited for you to give this cake a try! Do let me know what you think once you’ve had a chance to try it! Thanks so much for visiting and so glad we’ve connected :)
Elena Vo says
The Vegan Devil’s Food Cake sounds really good! http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=794
I like oilive oil for dipping breads, especially with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt.
Calli says
Oven Baked Potato and Zucchini Latkes
http://www.colavita.com/recipesArchive/recipe.cfm?id=2657
I never thought to bake with quinoa!