Dairy Free Olive Oil Vanilla Bean Pound Cake
This Dairy Free Olive Oil Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is delicious, moist and delightfully light and perfect for folks with or without lactose intolerance. Served along side a big glass of your favorite (non-dairy) milk, my Dairy Free Olive Oil Vanilla Bean Pound Cake is one of the best slightly sweet breakfast baked goods around.
It all started with a vanilla bean antler.
We were in the pet store where we board Lucy, and we asked one of the girls at the counter if she had any recommendations for Lucy because her teeth get really gross and plaque-y… and every time we visit the vet, they recommend a doggie tooth cleaning, which basically means they put Lucy under, scrub all the gunk off her teeth and then she’s loopy for the rest of the day.
The girl recommended these antler chews, and she suggested checking out the vanilla bean one if we were unsure about Lucy’s interest in something like that.
We brought it home, and a few days later, I opened the package to be greeted by the most wonderful smell in the world before handing it over to my dog, who immediately loved the new chew treat.
… I tweeted about the scent of the antler and about how it made me want to bake… and after going back and forth about vanilla bean deer and where they live (consensus: Ina Garten’s backyard), Katherine suggested I make a pound cake.
That’s what I did… and I took some creative liberties to make this recipe dairy free. Huzzah!
(If you’re looking for more pound cake recipes, let me recommend my Orange Pound Cake, Chocolate Chip Irish Cream Pound Cake and Berry Pound Cake!)
Here’s how you can whip up your own:

Olive Oil Vanilla Bean Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other unsweetened non-dairy milk)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla bean, split)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Equipment
- Loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5" x 3")
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8"x3.5" loaf pan with nonstick baking spray, and set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Measure in the sugar. Use a mixer to beat the two ingredienets together until well-incorporated.
- Pour in the unsweetened almond milk and olive oil, then mix until smooth and combined.
- Add the vanilla bean paste to the wet ingredients and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl. Use a whisk and stir until mixed.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
- Transfer to the prepared loaf pan, and for 50-60 minutes, or until the top of the bread has slightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Slice into 8 even pieces, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Have you found random cooking inspiration from something similar?
Does a vanilla bean deer live in your neck of the woods? (If so, send a photo! Ha!)

About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Our conversation about those deer still cracks me up. Your pound cake looks like the perfect dessert, and dairy-free to boot. Love it.
I’m glad I can just use a tooth brush and not have to chew on antlers 😉 Though, if this pound cake could clean my teeth I’d be on board!
What a great idea for a pound cake! I love pound cakes– I can almost taste this!
I am fairly certain I need this cake in my life. It sounds amazing!
What a great idea for a pound cake! I love pound cakes– I can almost taste this!
Mine turned out a bit dry, but the second go around I added a little more olive oil and baked it for 45 minutes, it turned out great <3
I’m glad that adding a little more olive oil worked out for you, Char! Thanks for your review… this makes me want to bake this pound cake again since it’s been a minute since I did!