Why bake with olive oil?

Deeper flavor

Olive oil offers a very wide spectrum of flavors – depending on the olive variety, the growing region, and the level of processing – ranging from a dark green to a bright golden hue, and from a grassy and peppery flavor to a fruity and rich one. These nuances can complement baked goods in distinct ways: intense and earthy oils integrate excellently with chocolate-based desserts (such as chocolate olive oil cookies), while lighter and fruity oils especially enhance citrus cakes, like a lemon olive oil cake.

Soft and moist texture

Similar to butter, olive oil also contributes moisture and a rich texture to baked goods, yet it produces a more consistent and softer, and sometimes slightly denser, crumb. Rebecca Schlossberg (MS, RDN, LDN), a clinical and culinary dietitian and the founder of Made Without By Becca, which specializes in dairy-free and allergen-free baking, explained that, "There are certain cakes – like chiffon cakes or chocolate cakes – that actually turn out better with oil."

The reason is that butter is solid at room temperature and contains about 20% water that evaporates during baking, which can result in a drier cake once it cools. In contrast, olive oil is a pure liquid fat that spreads evenly in the batter, coating the flour proteins and restricting gluten development – leading to a delicate and moist crumb that remains pleasant even after cooling. Nevertheless, olive oil is unable to trap air in the batter like whipped butter, meaning the outcome will be a denser and chewier texture – perfectly suited, for example, for rich chocolate brownies.

Health benefits

Schlossberg frequently suggests olive oil as a butter substitute due to its healthy profile: less saturated fat and more monounsaturated fats, including omega 3 and omega 6. Extra virgin and virgin olive oil – which are cold-pressed without heat or chemicals – retain potent antioxidants (polyphenols) that help protect against inflammation and oxidative damage. Virgin olive oil (not "extra" virgin) undergoes slightly lighter processing and is therefore a little less acidic and less rich in nutrients, but it still provides notable health benefits compared to butter or refined oils.

When and how to use?

Olive oil is particularly appropriate for recipes where melted butter is already used – such as muffins, zucchini cake, or banana-chocolate chip cake.

Given that butter contains only about 80% fat and 20% water, Schlossberg recommends using three-quarters of the oil amount relative to the butter. That is, if a recipe calls for a cup of butter, use 3/4 cup of olive oil. If the batter appears too dry, one can add a teaspoon or two of water to compensate for the missing butter liquids – but proceed cautiously so as not to excessively thin the batter.

What Type of olive oil to choose?

"Keep your best olive oil for drizzling and finishing dishes, where its aroma is fully expressed. Avoid refined oils sometimes called "pure olive oil" or "light olive oil" – they undergo heat and chemical processing, which removes the flavor and nutritional values. For baking, it is better to choose medium-quality virgin or extra virgin olive oil with a balanced flavor that you enjoy. Always taste it before use – if you do not like its taste on its own, you probably will not like it in your cake either."

When not to use olive oil in baking

Schlossberg advises against replacing butter with olive oil in recipes that require creaming butter and sugar together – this step relies on the solid state of the butter, which traps air bubbles and creates an airy texture. Olive oil simply cannot replicate this effect. Consequently, for sponge cakes, yeast pastries, or other delicate baked goods – it is best to stick with butter.

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Fans of the renowned Benedicks chocolates can rejoice as the iconic British brand has regained its kosher certification after a temporary revocation last year. On Tuesday, Benedicks and the Kosher London Beth Din (KLBD) jointly announced that the popular chocolate line will once again carry the kosher stamp of approval.

The announcement comes as a relief for kosher consumers following the news in December 2023 that Benedicks' beloved bittermint collection of dark after-dinner chocolates would lose its kosher certification due to changes in the company's production facility. At the time, Benedicks had stated that the certification was "an integral part of the Bendicks brand and its success." All available stock of Benedicks' varieties, whether bearing the KLBD logo or not, remains kosher certified.

In a statement on Tuesday, Interim Director of KLBD Rabbi Elie Schoemann, said: "We are so pleased to be able to make this announcement today. We had heard rumors of stockpiling in parts of the Jewish community and are relieved that kosher consumers can now buy Benedicks from any store in any part of the country. I would like to thank the Benedicks and KLBD teams for making this possible. In a world full of difficult news, we hope this small ray of sunshine will bring some happiness to Friday night dinner tables across the community."

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A new plant-based sweetener from Israeli food-tech startup cuts sugar loads in popular treats like hazelnut and chocolate spreads, B.T. Sweet announced this week as it introduced its CAMBYA product.

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According to B.T. Sweet, its proprietary formula, based on soluble fibers, monk fruit, and select botanicals, is a 1:1 equivalent to sugar both in function and flavor, and also provides fiber.

The company says CAMBYA delivers optimal sweetening capacity, without the need for masking agents, and can be used to lower sugar levels in confectionary, cereals and ice cream.

Sweet spreads typically contain up to 50% sucrose. B.T. Sweet's food technology team and chief confectioner have tested their product in several spread recipes, aiming to mimic the flavor, color, and texture of a traditional category leading sweet spread, without any change to the feel or texture of the product. The company tested the result with parents and children.

"For many, a breakfast or school sandwich is incomplete without chocolate hazelnut spread," noted Yoav Gaon, CEO of B.T. Sweet.

"Parents struggle with their kids' demands for it and have a hard time resisting it themselves. We succeeded in developing a tasty solution that kids of all ages love simply by switching white sugar with CAMBYA," Gaon added.

"Children are the primary market for chocolate spreads, birthday cakes, cookies filled with cream and similar products," explained Dagi Pekatch, founder and chairman of B.T Sweet.

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Israeli food-tech company DouxMatok, the developer of the Incredo Sugar solution, a cane sugar-based sweetener that reduces sugar content by some 50%, has released two limited-edition sweet spreads in the US market.

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The company's "Incredo Spreads" are now available for purchase on shop.incredosugar.com. The spreads come in two-jar bundles – one jar of the Hazelnut Cocoa flavor and one jar of Dark Cocoa Salted Caramel.

In addition to containing less sugar, two tablespoons of Incredo Spreads offer 30% of the daily recommended fiber intake. The spreads are made using organic hazelnuts, are non-GMO, gluten free, and use sunflower oil to replace palm oil, as well as containing no artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

"We have been hard at work perfecting the commercialization of our Incredo Sugar, and are excited to showcase these delicious spreads with a superior nutritional profile. We invite consumers to taste and experience Incredo Spreads," said Eran Baniel, co-founder and CEO of DouxMatok.

"We believe the only way to meet the challenge of sugar reduction is by maintaining the joys of sugar, and we encourage the food industry to join us on this important mission," Baniel continued.

"As brands continue to provide consumers with better-for-you alternatives, we're inviting US CPGs, foodservice, and emerging brands to work with us to formulate products with Incredo Sugar that will allow consumers to continue enjoying the happy moments that are provided by sweet treats," said Lorraine Niba, vice president of sales in North America for DouxMatok.

Customers are also invited to join the Spread The Happiness campaign, which features a consumer sweepstakes and a charitable donation to Common Threads, a nonprofit that provides children and families with cooking and nutrition education to encourage healthy habits. DouxMatok will donate 10% of each sale of Incredo Spreads and will match the amount, with the money going to support children and adults with healthy snacks and meals, plus fund programs to develop nutrition and cooking skills.

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