Satisfy your chocolate cravings with this scrumptious Easy Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, featuring a moist and tender crumb, paired with a delightful chocolate icing!
Indulge in the epitome of chocolatey decadence with my easy chocolate olive oil cake.
Like my moist chocolate walnut cake, it boasts a tender, soft, and moist crumb that will melt in your mouth.
Made without butter, this chocolate cake embraces extra virgin olive oil instead to achieve a beautifully soft and delicate texture.
To top it off, it's perfectly complemented by a quick and easy 3-ingredient chocolate icing.
You could even frost it with a luxurious chocolate ganache such as the one found on my basic chocolate cake, a reliable go-to recipe if you're a purist seeking another chocolate fix.
Table of Contents
🍰 Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Moist, tender, chocolatey bliss.
- Made without butter.
- Easy to make.
- Olive oil adds a unique flavor.
- Simple 3-Ingredient chocolate icing.
Perfect for beginner and experienced bakers alike, this recipe is a simple way to enjoy an olive oil cake.
For those who crave an extra dimension of indulgence, this easy chocolate orange cake takes this sensation to new heights.
☕ Serving Suggestions
Enhance your chocolate cake experience with these delicious serving suggestions:
- Pair with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream for dessert and the perfect contrast of flavors.
- Garnish with fresh berries to add a burst of freshness.
- Serve warm with a drizzle of chocolate fudge sauce for extra indulgence.
- Accompany with a cup of peppermint hot cocoa or a cold glass of milo.
📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Is also known as plain flour in Australia. Make sure to accurately measure your flour and basic baking ingredients for the best results.
- Cocoa powder: Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Baking powder: For best results use aluminum-free baking powder and make sure it’s not expired. You can test if your baking powder still works with this handy tip.
- Baking soda
- Fine salt
- Granulated sugar: Use either golden/raw or white granulated sugar.
- Eggs: Must be at room temperature before adding them to your batter. Large eggs that weigh between 55g-65g (1.9oz-2.3oz).
- Extra virgin olive oil: A quality olive oil will produce the best results. Don’t use any other vegetable oil as they can add too much flavor that changes the flavor and texture.
- Milk: Must be at room temperature. Whole milk or dairy-free milk such as almond milk can be used.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar: is also known as icing sugar and confectioners sugar.
🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)
There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step one: In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and the eggs.
Using electric hand beaters, beat on low-medium speed for 30 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed with a spatula.
Step two: With the beater running on medium speed, drizzle a little of the olive oil in at a time and beat for a few seconds, then drizzle in more oil, approx. 2 minutes in total. This emulsifies the oil into the batter.
Step three: Pour in the milk and vanilla. Beat for 20 seconds until well combined.
Step four: Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and the baking soda. Sprinkle over the salt.
Beat on slow-medium speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds, trying not over-mix.
Step five: Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Step six: In a mixing bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Pour in the milk and using a hand whisk, whisk until completely smooth and thick.
Step seven: Pour the icing over the cooled cake and spread it out with a rubber spatula, offset spatula or the back of a spoon. It will drizzle down the sides a little.
Grate some chocolate over the icing and set the cake aside to allow the icing to firm up. Serve and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Make sure to measure your baking ingredients accurately: To achieve the best results.
- Bring the cold ingredients to room temperature first: Sit them on your kitchen counter for 30 minutes - 1 hour before making the recipe.
- Gradually drizzle in the olive oil: Slowly pour in the olive oil whilst beating it into the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes to emulsify and prevent curdling.
- Use a non-stick baking tin: For extra insurance, I always love to grease my tin with a layer of butter and then dust a layer of cocoa powder. Tap out the excess and pour in the cake batter. This will leave your cake with smooth sides.
- Do not over-mix the cake batter: It will result in a tough and dense textured cake after baking.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store cake in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days. Transfer to the refrigerator after a few days if needed to keep it fresh from humid temperatures.
Freeze the cake without the icing, either in individual slices or leave it whole. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in tin foil. Label it with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw slices of cake/whole cake at room temperature for several hours until defrosted or overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, go ahead and frost it with the chocolate icing.
💬 Recipe FAQ's
You can try using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend perfect for baking, such as a 1:1 flour blend. Although I haven't tested this recipe myself using gluten-free flour.
This cake keeps well in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days or you can freeze it without the chocolate icing. Tightly wrap individual slices or the whole cake in plastic wrap and tin foil, labeling with the date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw slices at room temperature or in the fridge overnight.
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it's much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Recipe Card
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 ½ cups (225g) all-purpose flour, scooped & leveled
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, or Kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar, golden or white
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Icing
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon whole milk
Decorate
- Milk or dark chocolate block, grated
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Line an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of cocoa powder. This will leave your finished cake with smooth sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sugar and eggs.
- Using electric hand beaters, beat on low-medium speed for 30 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- With the beater running on medium speed, drizzle a little of the olive oil in at a time and beat for a few seconds, then drizzle in more oil, approx. 2 minutes in total. This emulsifies the oil into the batter.
- Pour in the milk and vanilla. Beat for 20 seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
- Sprinkle over the salt.
- Beat on low-medium speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds, trying not over-mix, just until it’s incorporated into a smooth batter and no pockets or streaks of flour remain.
- Scrape down the sides and gently fold through any remaining flour that was sitting on the sides of the bowl.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking tin.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle, comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Icing
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Pour in milk and using a hand whisk, whisk until completely smooth and thick.
- Pour over cooled cake and gently spread out with a rubber spatula, offset spatula or the back of a spoon. It will drizzle down the sides a little.
- Grate some chocolate over the icing and set the cake aside to allow the icing to firm up.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Bring the cold ingredients to room temperature first: Sit them on your kitchen counter for 30 minutes - 1 hour before making the recipe.
- Gradually drizzle in the olive oil: Slowly pour in the olive oil whilst beating it into the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes to emulsify and prevent curdling.
- Store cake in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days. Transfer to the refrigerator after a few days if needed to keep it fresh from humid temperatures.
- Freeze the cake without the icing, either in individual slices or leave it whole. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap it again in tin foil. Label it with the date and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw slices of cake/whole cake at room temperature for several hours until defrosted or overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, go ahead and frost it with the chocolate icing.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in March 2021. It was republished in May 2023 with new images and helpful information.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!