Olive Oil Upside-Down Fruit Sponge Cake Recipe

Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake is a favorite I learned at a Central Market olive oil tasting class. It’s essentially an olive oil sponge baked upside down, with sliced nectarines or plums arranged on the bottom of the pan and mixed berries added on top. Since I first made it I’ve adapted the recipe countless times with different seasonal fruit. The photo here shows a recent version made with thawed frozen mixed berries and a few peaches when fresh fruit wasn’t available.

Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake topped with mixed berries and peaches.

How to Make Olive Oil Sponge Cake

Below is a concise overview of the method—this sponge is light and airy because of whipped egg whites folded into the batter. You can follow the recipe card for exact amounts.

Prepare the pan: Brush a 9-inch springform ring with olive oil and dust the bottom with granulated sugar. Although sponge cakes tend to rise higher in ungreased pans, this version is greased to prevent the cooked fruit from sticking.
Arrange your sliced fruit (plums, nectarines, peaches, etc.) neatly across the bottom of the prepared pan.

A springform pan greased with olive oil and dusted with granulated sugar with fruit on the bottom for an Upside Down Olive Oil Cake.

Whisk together the dry ingredients—cake flour, baking soda, salt—and about half the sugar; sifting is recommended for a lighter texture.
In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients (buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, and egg yolks) and combine with the dry mixture until smooth. Add lemon zest and lemon juice for brightness.
Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar to soft peaks, then gently fold them into the batter to keep the mixture airy.

Egg whites being folded into sponge cake batter.

Folding additional berries into the batter is optional; toss them with a little flour if you plan to add them so they don’t sink.
Pour the batter over the fruit in the pan, spread gently without deflating, and bake at 350°F for about 30–35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Baking time may vary with pan size and fruit volume. Place the springform on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.

Cool the cake 10–15 minutes with the springform ring on, then remove the ring and cool 5 more minutes. Invert carefully onto a rack and remove the base so the fruit is on top.
Optional: dust lightly with powdered sugar (it will absorb into the fruit) and serve with freshly whipped cream.

Making Adjustments

This sponge is versatile—use it as an upside down cake with fruit or as a plain olive oil sponge. A few practical tips when adapting the recipe:

Changing pan size or depth affects bake time; check for doneness earlier or later depending on your pan.
To make a plain sponge without fruit, leave the pan ungreased so the batter clings to the sides and rises upward. If you use a non-springform pan, line it with foil and leave it ungreased; once cool, peel away the foil.

Olive oil sponge cake spread in a thin layer and baked in a foil lined loaf pan. — This is a thin layer of 6 oz (weight) batter spread across an 8×4 inch pan.

Recipe

Olive Oil Upside Down Fruit Cake

Anna

Adapted from a Central Market olive oil class. Made originally with nectarines and plums, but peaches, berries, or other seasonal fruit work beautifully. You can also make the plain sponge by omitting the upside-down fruit.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Cooling Time 30 minutes

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

Olive oil & granulated sugar for pan
5-6 large plums or 2-4 nectarines whatever is in season
1 ¼ cups cake flour (145 grams)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar (100 grams and 50 grams)
½ cup buttermilk (120 grams)
¼ cup olive oil (50 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated
¾ to 1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ to cup blueberries or raspberries (optional)
1 teaspoon flour (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with olive oil and dust with granulated sugar.
Arrange sliced plums or nectarines across the bottom of the pan in a pattern you like.
Combine cake flour, baking soda, salt, and ½ cup (100 g) of the granulated sugar in a bowl and whisk or sift to blend.
Whisk the buttermilk, olive oil, vanilla, and yolks together in a separate bowl, then add to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar. Fold the batter into the whites gently until combined. Pour the batter into the sugared pan over the fruit and spread evenly without deflating; the batter should be slightly bubbly.
If using extra berries, toss them with the optional teaspoon of flour and scatter over the top of the batter.
Bake 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10–15 minutes, remove the springform ring, cool another 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack and peel away the base. Serve cooled or slightly warm with whipped cream.

Notes

The cake’s bake time will vary depending on the fruit you use and how much juice it releases. Check at 30 minutes and continue until the top is golden and a wooden pick comes out clean.

Keyword fruit, Nectarines, Olive Oil Cake, Sponge Cake

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