Oils

Grapeseed oil is the most neutral in flavor compared to olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, and corn oil and has a higher smoking point. On these two points alone, we prefer using grapeseed oil in our baking. It is also lighter in weight and viscosity. Runner-up for neutral oil is canola-olive blend. A good extra-virgin olive oil (that means first cold press) should taste like the land it came from: grassy, green, fruity, peppery, or bitter. In the Olive Oil Cake, the flavor of the oil shines front and center—do not replace olive oil with any other oil for that recipe. If you have a very special olive oil, best eaten straight, I wouldn’t recommend using that in a cake either.