Olive Oil Quince Cake

Fall is the heart of pome fruit season. There’s an abundance of apples and pears, but my favorite by far? Quince! If you don’t have quince on hand, feel free to make this olive oil quince cake with unsweetened applesauce instead of quince purée. But if you do stumble across some quince, this recipe is a lovely way to put them to good use.

If you’re ready to start baking, jump to the recipe. Or read on to learn where to find quince, how to prep them (for this and other recipes), reasons I love this particular quince cake, and a note on substitutions.

Where to find quince

Tracking down quince is less about hunting for them in specialty shops, and more about playing the long game. They quietly show up in grocery stores mid-fall through early winter, sometimes a little earlier or later depending on the year. So keep an eye out this fall and winter, especially in larger supermarkets with a robust produce section. Farmers markets are usually a good bet during that window, and you can always ask fruit purveyors when they think quince will be hitting the market.

How to prep quince

The moment you slice into a quince, it’ll start to brown almost instantly. Don’t worry though—this isn’t a sign that you’re doing something wrong, and you certainly don’t need to break out the lemon juice. It’s just what it means to be a quince. Think of it as the fruit version of linen wrinkles: natural and charming.

After you slice the quince open, you core it. This works a little like coring apples, but it’s not exactly the same. There are lots more little stony bits surrounding the core, so you’ll need to do a little extra work to scrape those out. There are instructions in the notes at the end of the recipe card below.

Quince purée: For this recipe, all you need to do is gently poach them in water until soft, and then purée them. That’s it. But here are a couple other ways to prep quince for other applications:

Quince paste or jam: They’re wonderful cooked down with sugar into a thick paste (membrillo) or reduced less to make a lovely jam. If you cook them for any moderately long period of time, they’ll turn the most incredible coral pink color. They’ve got a crazy amount of pectin, so they set up really well.

Raw quince: Many online produce guides will go to great pains to inform you that eating quince raw is absolutely unheard of. However, they are indeed eaten raw in many parts of the world. This is partly because varieties in regions where they are eaten raw tend to be sweeter and less astringent. Raw quince was my great grandfather’s favorite!

Why I love this quince cake recipe

• It uses olive oil, which gives the cake a tender, moist texture. And the fruity flavor of olive oil pairs beautifully with quince.
• It’s very adaptable, and I’ll share a few variations in the next section.
• It’s easy to throw together and just as easy to dress up. The quick glaze drizzle and a simple loaf shape looks great with zero fuss.

Quince cake substitutions and variations

I’ve already mentioned that you can make this quince cake with applesauce instead of quince, and the recipe will outline how to make that swap. But if you want to also play with the flavors, here are a few ideas:

Rosewater: Quince are part of the rose family, so it’s no surprise they carry a delicate floral note and play well with flower waters. I like to play that up with just a touch of rosewater in the cake and glaze.

Spices: Not into floral? No problem. A cozy blend of apple pie spices works beautifully in its place. For instance, cinnamon with a little bit of nutmeg and clove.

Other ideas: Try a splash of orange blossom water, some lemon zest, or even some ground cardamom.

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