Amazing Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Decadent, moist, and unbelievably easy, this amazing chocolate olive oil cake is hands-down the best chocolate cake you’ll ever make. With rich, deep chocolate flavor and a tender crumb, it’s the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers.
Listen, I’ve had a lot of chocolate cake in my life, and this one cannot be beat. If you are worried the olive flavor will overpower the cake, don’t be! You can’t taste it, but it deepens the flavor and lends a rich moistness that cannot be beat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Because: IT IS THE MOST DELICIOUS, SOFTEST, MOST MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE ON THE PLANET.
And if that doesn’t convince you, here are a few other reasons:
- The batter is straightforward, simple and quick.
- The recipe can be doubled and made into a chocolate layer cake. The cake layers are sturdy enough to stack and frost.
- It is equally delicious served plain as it is served with whipped cream or frosting.
Ingredients for Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
This batter comes together in two parts. First, the chocolate mixture:
- Cocoa powder: use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. I haven’t tested the recipe with Dutch-process cocoa powder; it’s likely adjustments would need to be made (reducing baking soda and adding baking powder).
- Boiling water: measure the water after it boils to ensure it’s the full amount and water hasn’t evaporated.
- Vinegar: contributes to a soft, moist, light crumb, and also helps with leavening.
- Baking soda + salt: necessary for leavening and flavor.
Second, is the sugar + olive oil mixture. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar: the amount of sugar called for in the recipe lends a mild sweetness to the cake. The granulated sugar can be increased by another 1/4 cup for a sweeter cake – although don’t increase more than that or it will likely affect the overall cake structure and crumb.
- Brown sugar: adds deeper flavor and rich moisture to the cake.
- Olive oil: I use every day Kirkland extra-virgin olive oil. No need to get fussy with expensive or specialty olive oils.
- Egg yolks: using just the egg yolk gives the cake a slightly more dense (in a good way), but also plenty fluffy, crumb structure.
- Vanilla extract: adds dimension to the flavors of the chocolate cake.
Baking Tips for This Chocolate Cake:
Keep these additional tips in mind for a failproof chocolate cake.
- Use a light-colored aluminum baking pan. A dark-coated, nonstick pan, ceramic or glass pan will not bake as evenly.
- Tap the pan lightly on the counter a few times before baking to release any trapped air bubbles.
- Try NOT to open the oven while the cake is baking as it can cause the cake to fall.
- Bake just until the top springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Don’t over bake! Err on the side of under baking just slightly if you aren’t sure when to take it out.
- It’s normal for this chocolate olive oil cake to come out of the oven slightly domed and then fall just a bit so it is evenly flat across the top.
What About the Olive Oil Flavor?
You might be surprised to learn that a cake made with olive oil doesn’t actually taste…like olive oil.
Rather, the olive oil enhances the flavor without overpowering the cake with a strong, distinct olive oil flavor. The olive oil also ensures a soft, tender cake crumb.
I was skeptical that olive oil would be a preferable oil to use in cakes over a neutral-flavored oil or butter! But this non-chocolate olive oil cake convinced me otherwise. And this chocolate version completely sealed the deal. Olive oil produces deliciously fluffy cakes with a crumb that is slightly more dense than butter-creamed cakes.
This chocolate olive oil cake isn’t just an average, okay, fine-I-guess-it’ll-do cake. It is extraordinary. Truly, truly extraordinary.
What to Serve with Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
This chocolate cake can be served several different ways:
- Lightly dusted with powdered sugar
- Topped with chocolate ganache, chocolate frosting, or vanilla buttercream.
- Dolloped with lightly sweetened whipped cream (those little chocolate sprinkles in the photos are my fave crispy chocolate pearls).
- Paired with strawberries, raspberries or other fruit.
Amazing Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (57 g) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (95 g) olive oil (see note)
- 2 large (36 g) egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a light-colored 9-inch round baking pan with parchment paper (see note). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Add the vinegar, baking soda and salt (the mixture will expand) and mix until combined. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or whisk attachment, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, olive oil, egg yolks and vanilla. Mix for 3 minutes, until very well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Don't short the mixing time in this step.
- Scrape the cooled chocolate mixture (it should be room temp or just slightly warm, but not hot) into the olive oil mixture. Mix until evenly combined.
- Add the flour and mix until no dry streaks remain and the batter is evenly combined; don't over mix.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Tap the pan lightly on the counter 2 to 3 times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs and the top springs back lightly to the touch. Do not over bake or the cake may be dry on the edges.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and turn the cake out onto a wire rack or serving plate to cool completely.
- Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, fruit, and/or ice cream. It is also delicious simply dusted on top with powdered sugar.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
I made this cake last night. It is super, super moist. I can’t wait to try it today as cake is usually even better after it sits a day. I put a simple chocolate frosting on it, but it would be so good served warm with vanilla ice cream. I love that it uses olive oil and no, I could not taste it! I think I’ll try the recipe again with some coffee instead of water to deepen the flavor… For me personally it’s really hard to beat a Devil’s Food cake mix in texture and moistness, and this was probably as close as I’ve come. I would definitely recommend it!
Thanks so much for the review, Sarah! I’m happy you enjoyed this cake – it really does have such a wonderfully delicious densely moist texture that is unbeatable!
Wowee. Lots to love about this cake. It’s a deep chocolate and not too sweet due to the cocoa powder. For me, it didn’t trigger the desire to keep eating because of the depth of the chocolate flavor (like eating dark chocolate vs. milk). I appreciate a treat that doesn’t send me into overdoing it. Next time I will try black cocoa powder. I had never heard of it until recently, I cannot explain how I missed this!
The crumb is perfect; it melts in your mouth! Oh my. It also doesn’t need any frosting, and I loooove frosting but it’s not needed, it is perfect on its own. I also like the size, it’s just right for a few days of enjoying and freezing the rest. I only had Dutch processed cocoa and substituted baking powder for baking soda, doubling the amount of baking powder (i.e., I used 2 t. baking powder). It worked perfectly.
Keep up the great work Mel!
OMG this cake looks amazing! I’m definitely making it soon! YUM
Sorry for the confusion, Karen! Glad it got worked out with the updated recipe.
Sorry, I printed the recipe and there was no flour in the ingredient list, but when I revisited to check I saw you added it
How much flour????
This cake was delicious! I made it exactly as written and served it with ice cream & raspberries. Simple and so fudgy and chocolatey!!
Katie, yay!! Thanks for making it so fast and reporting back!
I realize you are likely on a plane flying to Switzerland, but I need to make this cake today because the whipping cream in my fridge that I’m going to use on top expires tomorrow! I will be patient. Have a great trip, and when you get a sec — how much flour?
Hi Julie! Not on a plane yet. I leave Sunday. 🙂 The recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups flour. Hope that helps!
This cake looks awesome with the richness of the olive oil and egg yolks, I’m so excited to make it! I will try baking it today in my 9 inch round gold toned pan to be fancy.
I’m excited to hear how it goes – the fancy pan sounds amazing!
I think you forgot to list how much flour—-
Sorry about that! That would certainly be helpful. I just added it and double checked everything else! 1 1/4 cups flour. Thanks for your patience. 🙂
I know my children will LOVE this! One question: If I add zucchini what adjustments to should I make? Happy Switzerland !
Hi Linda, I haven’t tested this cake with zucchini – and it’s likely to need more adjustments than just adding zucchini to the batter…but it’s definitely worth a try! Report back if you do! Maybe a good starting place would be 2 cups of squeezed-dry zucchini stirred in at the end with the flour and maybe decreasing the water by just a bit?
We love chocolate cake at our house and can never get enough.
I had to check multiple times to confirm, but I can’t believe this is GLUTEN and DAIRY FREE!! You made my family’s year.
Sarah – I’m sorry for the error – I forgot to add the flour to the recipe, so unfortunately, as written, it isn’t gluten-free, however, I think subbing in a 1:1 gluten free flour should work quite well if you want to experiment. Sorry for that initial error; the recipe has been updated!
I don’t see the flour amount either, but this recipe is very similar to the one on the back of the Hershey’s cocoa box. It is absolutely the best chocolate cake ever. I am going to try it with olive oil next, but I don’t see how it could be any better!! Love your recipes, Mel!!
Thanks, Patricia! Sorry I forgot to include the flour amount – just updated the recipe! It really is such a wonderful chocolate cake!
I do not see the necessary amount of flour listed.
Also, do you think this recipe would work with an all-purpose gluten free flour?
thanks!
JE
Hi Julia, the recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (sorry it was omitted from the ingredients – I just added it). I haven’t tried using a 1:1 gluten-free flour, but I think it stands a great chance of working!
Hi Mel –
I really appreciate that you provide the nutrition information! I’m wondering if there is a way to have that included when I print the recipes?
I’ll look into that, Amy!
Mel also has a recipe for a lemon olive oil cake and it requires 1 1/3 cups flour. I wonder if this cake recipe would call for the same amount?
Thanks for chiming in, Brandy! This cake calls for 1 1/4 cups flour (recipe updated!).
Any difference between using olive oil or EVO? Looks interesting!
Either can be used!