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
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 did not see the flour listed in the ingredients however is mentioned in the directions. Sure sounds worth the making though.
My thought exactly. What flour? That’s what I was looking for as I need to purchase some.
Flour isn’t listed as an ingredient but step 5 indicates you should add flour. How much flour should we use?