Lidia’s Olive Oil Cake (Vegan)
by Lidia Bastianich on Nov 20, 2025
At a No Res Gourmet pop-up event, Lidia’s Olive Oil Cake — made completely vegan — brings a touch of Italian tradition. Light, fragrant, and subtly sweet, this dessert reflects the group’s mission to create meals that are both comforting and elevated. As founder Firas Ayyad says, “The idea is, as the name suggests, that it's a gourmet meal…a side, a main dish that is beautiful and delicious, and a dessert. This is the kind of experience that somebody who may be experiencing homelessness or in an underserved community or just experienced tragedy through the fires does not have access to.” This cake seen in Lidia’s special Lidia Celebrates America: A Nation of Neighbors is more than a treat—it’s a gesture of care and celebration, shared with neighbors in need.
- Course
- Dessert
Tags
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 6 tablespoons water
- ½ cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
- ¾ cup sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 small orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more for greasing pan
- 2 tablespoons sugar, for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly brush an 8-inch round or loaf pan with olive oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flaxseed and water; let stand 5 minutes to thicken.
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In a medium bowl, whip the aquafaba with ¼ cup of the sugar using a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
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In another bowl, whisk the remaining sugar with the flax mixture, citrus zests, vanilla, olive oil, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
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Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; whisk gently until combined.
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Fold in one-third of the whipped aquafaba to lighten the batter, then gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with sugar and sliced almonds, if using.
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Bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
