Midnight Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
One bowl, one whisk, no mixer. A deeply fudgy chocolate cake that gets its silky crumb from good olive oil and stays moist for days.
I make this cake any time I need to feed people without thinking. It's mixed by hand in a single bowl, uses pantry staples, and tastes better on day two.
The olive oil isn't a gimmick — it makes the crumb almost glossy and pushes the chocolate flavor to the front. Use a fruity oil you'd actually drink.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process for the darkest color)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup brewed coffee, hot
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- 2
Whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until no cocoa lumps remain.
- 3
Pour in the olive oil, hot coffee, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until completely smooth — the batter will be thin.
- 4
Pour into the prepared pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is set and a skewer in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- 5
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.
- 6
Serve at room temperature, finished with flaky salt and a small drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimates only — not medical or dietary advice.
- Calories
- 358 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 31 g
- Sodium
- 235 mg
Tips
- → Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. Use decaf if you're serving kids.
- → Wrap the cooled cake tightly — it gets fudgier on day two and three.
- → Add a spoonful of mascarpone or unsweetened whipped cream on the side if you want to fancy it up.
FAQ
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes — swap the milk for unsweetened oat or almond milk. The texture stays nearly identical.
What size pan can I use?
An 8-inch square or 9-inch round both work. For cupcakes, fill liners two-thirds full and bake 18 to 20 minutes.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Wrap the cooled cake in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
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