# Easy Plain Oil Cake

> The secret to a fluffy plain cake is that **the eggs and sugar are beaten for a full 5 minutes** until the mixture becomes pale and thick, and then the flour is **folded gently** with the milk without heavy whisking. Long beating at the beginning incorporates air to rise the cake, while heavy beating after adding the flour makes it tough and rubbery.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 55 min · 10 servings · 300 kcal per serving**

The plain oil cake is the staple of the Egyptian home: ingredients found in any kitchen, cup measurements without a scale, and made in under an hour. From this base, all other variations are born: orange, cocoa, or marble cake.

## Ingredients

- 3 — eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup — sugar
- 0.5 cup — oil
- 1 cup — milk, at room temperature
- 2 cup — flour
- 2.5 tsp — baking powder
- 1 tsp — vanilla
- 1 pinch — salt
- 1 tsp — butter or oil, for greasing the pan

## Method

1. **Preheating the Oven and Pan** — Preheat the oven to **180°C** before doing anything else, and grease a **22 cm** pan with butter, dust it with flour, and tap out the excess. The cake must go into a hot oven from the very first minute.
2. **Sifting the Flour** — Sift the **flour, baking powder, and salt** together twice. Sifting distributes the baking powder evenly so the cake rises from the center and sides together.
3. **Beating the Eggs and Sugar** — Beat the **eggs and sugar for a full 5 minutes** with a mixer on high speed until the mixture becomes pale, thick, and cream-like. This is the step that makes the cake rise—do not skip it.
4. **Adding Oil and Vanilla** — Lower the mixer speed, and pour in the **oil in a thin stream** while beating, followed by the vanilla. Pouring slowly allows the oil to incorporate without the mixture losing the trapped air.
5. **Alternating Flour and Milk** — Add **one-third of the flour, then half of the milk, then another third of the flour, the remaining milk, and finally the last third of the flour**. Fold with a spatula or mixer on the lowest speed **just until the flour disappears**. Over-mixing here results in a tough, rubbery cake.
6. **Baking** — Pour the batter into the pan, and tap it gently a couple of times on the counter to release large air bubbles. Bake on the **middle rack for 35–40 minutes**, and **do not open the oven for the first 25 minutes**.
7. **Toothpick Test** — Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake: if it comes out **clean or with dry crumbs**, it is done. If wet batter comes out, leave it for **5 minutes** more and test again.
8. **Cooling Before Inverting** — Leave the cake in the pan for **10 minutes** after taking it out, then invert it onto a wire rack until completely cool. Inverting while very hot breaks it, and cooling in the pan all the way makes the bottom sweat and become soggy.

## Tips

- The eggs and milk must be at room temperature—cold eggs do not whip and rise as well as warm ones.
- Scoop flour into the cup with a spoon and level the top with a knife—scooping directly from the bag packs extra flour, making the cake dry.
- If the top browns quickly while the center is not yet done, cover the pan with a sheet of foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Want it flavored with orange? Substitute the milk with orange juice and add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest.

## FAQ

### Why does the cake sink in the middle after coming out?
The two most common reasons: opening the oven too early before the cake has set, or it wasn't fully baked inside so it collapses as it cools. Sometimes too much baking powder makes it rise too fast and then fall. Do the toothpick test before taking it out, and don't open the oven for the first 25 minutes.

### Can I make the cake with butter instead of oil?
Yes: half a cup of melted butter instead of oil. Butter gives a richer flavor, but the oil cake stays moister and softer into the second and third days, and doesn't dry out in the fridge.

### How do I make it a cocoa or marble cake?
For cocoa: remove a quarter cup of flour and replace it with a quarter cup of cocoa. For marble: divide the batter in two, add 2 tablespoons of cocoa and 2 tablespoons of milk to the second half, pour both into the pan alternately, and swirl with a knife.

### The oven doesn't have a thermostat—how do I know the temperature?
In a standard gas oven, preheat for 10 minutes on medium heat, and bake on medium heat on the middle rack. If the cake browns too quickly from the bottom, place an empty tray underneath it.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/easy-plain-oil-cake
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-24