This moist and flavorful chocolate olive oil cake is a true crowdpleaser. If you love quick and easy snacking cakes, this is the one to bookmark! It's full of dark chocolate flavor and a subtle hint of olive oil. You can choose to frost it, but I prefer just a bit of powdered sugar on top.
I love baking with olive oil and do so often. Here in Spain, it's quite typical (especially in Andalusia) where olive oil fried treats like torrijas and pestiños crowd pastry shop windows.
Over the years I've developed a variety of olive oil cake recipes that are my go-to choice when entertaining. I find that these olive oil based cake recipes are quick, easy, moist, and super delicious-- everyone always raves about them.
I've already shared my summertime lemon olive oil cake, and my fall favorite, apple olive oil cake, but I realized I'd never posted my delicious chocolate olive oil cake!
This simple chocolate cake recipe makes enough for an 8-inch round pan. So if baking for a big family, you might want to double (or triple) the recipe. But the one 8-inch cake lasts a couple of days in our house (and we snack on it all day long).
The great thing about this cake is that the use of olive oil makes it super moist and the addition of a bit of almond meal adds a bit of density to it. So a small piece is often all you need.
It really is a perfect snacking cake, and so easy to make that you'd be crazy not to try it!
Key Ingredients
Key Ingredients: Flour, almond meal, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, Greek yogurt, hot coffee, vanilla, olive oil, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
The best part about this cake is that it's fairly versatile. I've often made small tweaks and it's been delicious every time!
- Flour: I use a mix of all-purpose and almond flour (also called almond meal or ground almonds). This gives the cake the perfect texture for me -- not too light and not too dense. But you can use 100% all-purpose (or cake flour) if you prefer. If you increase the amount of almond flour, the cake may become denser.
- Cocoa Powder: Use dark, Dutch-process cocoa powder. Here in Spain, I use the Valor brand.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt helps give this chocolate olive oil cake its signature moistness. You could substitute buttermilk.
- Eggs: When I was testing the recipe, I found that one large egg + one egg yolk gave me the best results. Some people have omitted the egg in this recipe with good results (along with using GF flour and/or almond flour). I haven't tried these modifications, but if you do please let me know.
- Coffee: Using a piping hot cup of strong coffee makes this cake extra delicious, but if you prefer to skip coffee here, just use hot water.
- Olive Oil: Last but not least -- the star ingredient! This delicious chocolate olive oil cake is so delicious thanks to using good quality extra virgin olive oil. Read this article to find out why extra virgin is what you should be using. If you are like me and want a strong olive oil taste, use a flavorful oil. I like using fruity arbequina olive oil here. If you do not want to taste the olive oil, use a mild oil, such as a more standard blend.
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake: Step by Step
This cake literally comes together in minutes! It is a truly dangerous recipe to have up your sleeve... but a delicious one at that! For the full printable recipe, keep scrolling down to the recipe card.
Steps 1-4: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Then do the same for the wet ingredients.
Steps 5-6: Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix (use an electric mixer if you have one). Mix for a couple of minutes on medium. Make sure to scrape the sides if necessary, and ensure everything is well combined.
Steps 7-8: Grease an 8-inch round baking pan and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Then grease the parchment paper, and add flour to the pan. Shake off excess flour and then pour in the batter (it will be quite thin). Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-35 minutes (I find the magic number to be 32 for me), or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake for about 20 minutes, then gently turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe Tips & FAQs
Absolutely! Simply allow the cake to cool completely, and then wrap tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap, followed by one layer of aluminum foil. You can wrap the whole cake or freeze it in individual slices.
The main difference is flavor and texture. Depending on the olive oil you use, you may taste the unique flavor of the oil in the end result. You'll also have a moist cake when using olive oil in most recipes.
Olive oil cakes that are made with virgin or extra virgin olive oil have the healthy benefits of olive oil as opposed to the unhealthy effects from a refined oil or an animal fat like butter.
You can store this cake in the fridge for one week, or on the counter for a few days.
Watch Me Make It! (VIDEO)
Serving Suggestions
This chocolate olive oil cake is perfect on its own, or with a dusting of powdered sugar on top. But some other ideas are:
- A light layer of cream cheese frosting
- Cut in half lengthwise and stuffed with cherry jam
- Served with fresh whipped cream and berries
- Served with a drizzle of extremely high-quality extra virgin olive oil to finish (right before eating)
And of course, any Spanish cake recipe goes well with a steaming cup of café con leche!
More Olive Oil Cake Recipes
If you loved this chocolate olive oil cake recipe, then you should check out my other olive oil cakes too!
- Apple Olive Oil Cake: A comforting recipe that combines apples with olive oil and spices in this addictive cake.
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake: My favorite lemon olive oil cake recipe! A must-try.
- Lemon Yogurt Cake: Spain's most classic cake to make at home. Everyone knows this easy recipe.
Hungry for more? Sign up for my free weekly newsletter and receive a new Spanish recipe once a week! Join today and get my FREE Spanish ingredient essentials guide!
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- â…” cup all-purpose flour (80 g)
- ¼ cup almond flour (30 g) note: this is the same as almond meal or finely ground raw almonds
- ¾ cup sugar (150 g)
- â…“ cup cocoa powder (40 g) note: use Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (2.5 g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2.5 g)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt (120 ml) note: full fat
- ½ cup strong black coffee (120 ml)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- powdered sugar (optional) to top the cake before serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan by greasing the bottom with butter, and then placing a round cut out of parchment paper on the bottom. Grease the parchment and the sides of the pan, then sprinkle with flour. Tap out any excess flour and put aside for when the batter is ready.
- In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Mix well.
- In another bowl combine the wet ingredients (egg, egg yolk, Greek yogurt, olive oil, vanilla, and hot coffee). Whisk well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and mix well (using an electric mixer if possible). Mix on medium for a couple of minutes, scraping down the sides if necessary.
- Pour the chocolate olive oil cake batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven on the center rack for 25-35 minutes. Check at 25 minutes and remove once a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. In my oven the perfect bake time is exactly 32 minutes!
- Cool for about 15 minutes in the pan, then slowly remove onto a wire cooling rack. Enjoy dusted with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Yield: This recipe is for one 8-inch pan. Double or triple to make a larger cake.
- Common substitutions include:
- Flour: I use a mix of all-purpose and almond flour (also called almond meal or ground almonds). This gives the cake the perfect texture for me -- not too light and not too dense. But you can use 100% all-purpose (or cake flour) if you prefer. If you increase the amount of almond flour, the cake may become denser.
- Yogurt: Greek yogurt helps give this chocolate olive oil cake its signature moistness. You could substitute buttermilk.
- Coffee: Using a piping hot cup of strong coffee makes this cake extra delicious, but if you prefer to skip coffee here, just use hot water.
- Olive Oil: Note that this delicious chocolate olive oil cake is so delicious thanks to using good quality extra virgin olive oil. Read this article to find out why extra virgin is what you should be using. If you are like me and want a strong olive oil taste, use a flavorful oil. I like using fruity arbequina olive oil here. If you do not want to taste the olive oil, use a mild oil, such as a more standard blend.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with powdered sugar, fresh whipped cream, berries, or even stuffed with jam. I don't frost this cake, but a light layer of cream cheese frosting would be yummy.
- Storage: Store on the counter at room temperature for up to four days. In the fridge, it lasts a week. And in the freezer (well wrapped in plastic wrap and foil) it keeps for a few months.Â
Nutrition
What do you think of my chocolate olive oil cake recipe? Let me know below!
Ana
I really like the texture of this cake. Can this be made with lemon zest instead of chocolate? I pefer lemon to chocolate but prefer the lighter texture of this cake to the lemon yogurt cake recipe. Thank you!
Lauren Aloise
Yes! Though you can also try my specific recipe for lemon olive oil cake - it's delicious!
Nicki
Have just made this cake for dinner tonight. Itwas easy to make and absolutely delicious, everyone loved it.
Erika
Hi,
I made this for my 11th grade students today. They loved it!!!! They only adjustments I made were for high altitude.
Jennifer MacQueen
Absolutely delicious! And sooo moist! I made it gluten-free using King Arthur gf flour mix and almond flour from Bob’s Red Mill. A big hit with sour cherries over top! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Situ
I served this as a small birthday cake and it was delicious! In my opinion the coffee is the most important part. We added raspberries around the top and dusted powdered sugar on top. I think I will make this again and maybe add a bit of coconut extract and coconut flakes on top for variety.
Jackie Harris
If you add hot coffee to the liquids, surely the egg will cook. I have always added hot liquid right at the end.
Lauren Aloise
I thought the same, but it doesn't in my experience. I whisk throughout. I have a video I'll add soon! I also make a classic chocolate cake with this method and have never had issues.