Coca de Llanda Recipe (Spanish Olive Oil Cake)

Name: The Easy Spanish Cake I Make On Repeat
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 1 1/4 cups (250g) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup whole milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 3 1/3 cups (400g) all-purpose flour; 4 teaspoons baking powder

Slices of coca de llanda on plates with forks alongside a baking tray containing more slices — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Last year, my husband and I moved back to Barcelona, where we first met. And not long after, my husband’s parents announced their retirement and upcoming move from the Netherlands to Alicante in southern Spain.

Once they settled, my husband’s stepmother took advantage of the free Spanish classes offered by their municipality to learn the language and make friends in their new town. The teacher shared her recipe for coca de llanda with the class, and after trying it herself, my mother-in-law sent it to me to try.

Here in Catalonia, we have a similar sponge cake called pa de pessic, but I’ve always found it to be a bit dry and bland. Coca de llanda, however, had me convinced as soon as I opened the oven to a blast of the zesty smell of citrus and olive oil and a glimpse of the sugary crust on top of the cake. The cake is enticingly simple and modest, but far from dry or bland.

A freshly baked Coca de Llanda in a rectangular baking pan

What Is Coca de Llanda?

Coca de llanda is an easy-to-make, light and fluffy sponge cake. I’d place it in snacking cake territory. In Spain, it’s not just served as a merienda with coffee, but also as a sweet treat for breakfast.

Throughout the three provinces of Valencia, the cake goes by too many names to list here, but coca de llanda is the most common. The cake gets its name because it was historically cooked in a large, rectangular, metal pan called a llanda in the Valencian language.

Sponge cakes can be dry, but a good glug of Spanish olive oil ensures this cake stays soft and moist, as well as adding fruity, herbaceous flavor. Valencia is famous for its citrus, so a touch of lemon or orange zest’s sunny flavor is a must in coca de llanda. Sprinkling the top of the cake with sugar just before baking creates a golden, sparkly crust.

Easy Tweaks

Spanish baking is not nearly as finicky or precise as it can sometimes be north of the Pyrenees. It’s easy to make swaps and adjust coca de llanda to fit your taste and what you have on hand.

Depending on what’s in my fruit bowl, I use lemon zest, orange zest, or a mix of both. Valencia is famous for its oranges and lemons, and both are staples in Spanish baking.
I prefer the fruity flavor of olive oil, but mild-flavored sunflower oil may be used instead.
To make the cake dairy-free, substitute the whole milk with your plant milk of choice.
For a fun twist, sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar instead of just plain sugar. To make it, in a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the top of the cake evenly with the cinnamon sugar just before baking.

More Easy 9x13 Cakes

Coca de Llanda

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Cooling time 60 mins

Total Time 110 mins

Servings 12 to 16 servings

Yield 1 (9x13-inch) cake

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Nonstick cooking spray
1 1/4 cups (250g) plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon or orange zest
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups (400g) all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Beat the eggs and sugar:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, combine the 1 1/4 cups sugar, eggs, zest, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed until pale and doubled in volume, about 5 minutes.
Make the batter:

With the mixer running on low speed, pour in the olive oil and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the milk and vanilla and mix on low until combined.

Add the flour and baking powder and mix on low until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and stir in any remaining dry flour.
Top with sugar:

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake:

Bake the cake until the edges are golden brown, a crust has formed over the top of the cake, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
325	Calories
19g	Fat
36g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories	325
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g	24%
Saturated Fat 3g	15%
Cholesterol 36mg	12%
Sodium 202mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 36g	13%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 94mg	7%
Iron 2mg	9%
Potassium 61mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.