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.
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.
You might also like
15-Minute Tiramisu Cups: An Easy No Bake Dessert
This 15-minute tiramisu cup recipe is the ultimate easy no bake dessert. Layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and whipped mascarpone cream make for an elegant, fast treat.
Abuelita’s Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
A dark, fudgy one-bowl cake infused with Mexican cinnamon and a hint of cayenne, skipping the mixer for a rustic, tender crumb.
Browned Butter Blondies with Pretzel Toffee
Chewy, butterscotch-deep blondies studded with shards of homemade pretzel toffee. Sweet, salty, crunchy, and dangerously snackable.
Brown Butter Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies
These brown butter sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies feature crispy edges and chewy centers with a complex, tangy depth that only sourdough discard can provide.