--- title: "Chilean Oil Cake — Homemade Queque con Aceite Recipe" description: "Versión en Español. Chilean queque con aceite is a tender pound cake made with vegetable oil instead of butter, flavored with citrus zest, orange juice, vanilla, and a splash of rum or pisco, and bake..." url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-oil-cake-queque-con-aceite-recipe/ date: 2026-09-27 modified: 2026-09-27 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-oil-cake-queque-con-aceite-featured.jpg categories: ["Desserts"] type: post lang: en --- # Chilean Oil Cake — Homemade Queque con Aceite Recipe [Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-queque-con-aceite/) ![Chilean queque made with vegetable oil and orange juice, a moist loaf cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-oil-cake-queque-con-aceite-featured.jpg)*Homemade Chilean queque con aceite* Chilean queque con aceite is a tender pound cake made with vegetable oil instead of butter, flavored with citrus zest, orange juice, vanilla, and a splash of rum or pisco, and baked at 180 C (356 F) for 45 to 50 minutes. It takes 30 minutes of preparation plus 50 minutes of baking and serves 6 people. It is a classic of Chilean home baking for afternoon tea, economical and easy to make with pantry ingredients. ## How to Make Chilean Oil Cake? Queque con aceite replaces butter with any oil you have at home, such as canola, sunflower, or light olive oil, giving a more even, tender crumb and a cake that stays moist longer. You can flavor it with any natural juice. ## Nutritional Information Each serving of oil cake contains approximately 750 kcal, 9 g of protein, 30 g of total fat (4 g of saturated fat), 150 mg of cholesterol, 110 g of carbohydrates, 70 g of sugars, and 50 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes. ## Homemade Chilean Queque con Aceite Recipe **Preparation:** 30 minutes **Cooking:** 50 minutes **Servings:** 6 people ### Ingredients - 500 g (4 cups) of all-purpose flour - 450 g (2 1/4 cups) of sugar - 250 ml (1 cup) of vegetable oil - 125 ml (1/2 cup) of orange juice - 8 eggs - 1 teaspoon of baking powder - Lemon or orange zest - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon of rum or pisco ### Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (356 F) for at least 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the sifted flour, baking powder, sugar, and citrus zest. Pour in the oil and beat with a hand or electric mixer until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. ![Sifted wheat flour for the oil cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/sifted-flour-homemade-donuts.jpg)*Sifted flour* 1. Add the eggs one at a time, ideally cracking each into a small bowl first to check it, and beat after each one. Add the orange juice, vanilla, and liqueur and mix well. Pour the batter into a 25 cm (10 in) cake pan, oiled and dusted with flour. ![Fresh eggs added one at a time to the cake batter](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Fresh-eggs.jpg)*Fresh eggs* 1. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool. Serve in slices with a good coffee or hot chocolate. ![Fresh oranges for juice and zest](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/fresh-oranges-orange-cream-filling.jpg)*Fresh oranges* ## Additional Tips ### Beat well After adding the eggs and liquids, beat at medium-high speed for at least 5 minutes so the batter emulsifies and traps air, since oil does not hold air as well as butter. ### Choose a neutral oil Sunflower or canola oil are best; extra virgin olive oil can overpower the cake. ### Check your oven A hole in the middle usually means the oven is too hot or there is too much leavening. | Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Vegetable oil | Light olive oil | 1:1 | Slightly fruity | | Orange juice | Lemon or mandarin juice | 1:1 | Tangier | | Rum or pisco | Extra orange juice | 1:1 | Alcohol-free | | Wheat flour | Gluten-free baking mix plus 1 tsp xanthan gum | 1:1 | Denser | ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ### 1. Can I use gluten-free flour? Yes, but the result will be different. Use a gluten-free baking blend and add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for structure. ### 2. Which oil is best? A neutral oil such as sunflower or canola. Avoid extra virgin olive oil, whose strong flavor can dominate. ### 3. Does it freeze well? Yes. Thanks to its moisture, oil cake freezes very well. Wrap it cold in plastic and foil and keep it up to 3 months. ### 4. Why did my cake get a hole in the middle? The oven was too hot or there was too much leavening, so the outside set before the inside finished rising. ## What Is Queque con Aceite? Queque con aceite is a Chilean loaf or ring cake made with oil instead of butter, with a moist, even crumb and a citrus flavor, typical of afternoon tea, or once. ## Oil in Baking Oil is liquid at room temperature, so cakes made with it stay softer and moister for longer than butter cakes. ## Did You Know? Queque is the Chilean adaptation of the English word cake, used for loaf and ring cakes served at once, Chile’s traditional afternoon tea. ## Recommended - [Chilean Fluffy Lemon Loaf Cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-fluffy-lemon-loaf-cake-queque-de-limon-recipe/) - [Chilean Yogurt Loaf Cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-yogurt-loaf-cake-queque-de-yogurt-recipe/) - [Chilean Poppy Seed Cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-poppy-seed-cake-manjar-walnut-torta-de-amapolas-recipe/) - [Venezuelan Pineapple Upside-Down Cake](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/venezuelan-pineapple-upside-down-cake-torta-de-pina-recipe/)