A decadent single layer chocolate olive oil cake paired with cardamom whipped cream, pistachios, and dried rose petals. It’s a medley of flavors that make a perfect end to a meal. This is one dessert that will surely impress. 

I love making cakes using olive oil. The natural fruity flavors in olive oil complements certain cakes so well. I’ve made a few cakes using olive oil like my lemon lavender semolina cake and my chocolate orange cake and they happen to be some of my favorite cakes on the blog. This chocolate olive oil cake is definitely added to that list as well.

It is important to make sure the chocolate olive oil cake cools in the pan for a while before removing, and when you do, be very gentle. The cake is on the thin side, and therefore delicate. The flavors are rich, so feel free to omit anything if you think it would be too much, or substitute with what you have available. Karen does give substitute suggestions for the recipe – and for every other recipe in the book, which I really appreciate since not everyone has access to the same ingredients.

I have a lot of cookbooks focused on seasonal fare and eating simply. What I love the most about Simple Fare is that there is an element of elegance that I find others often lack. I also love the large coffee table size which means huge, gorgeous photographs. This book is beautiful enough to just thumb through at any given moment. But still, cook from this book. Make as much as you can. Because this chocolate olive oil cake is just the beginning. There are so many incredible recipes that need to be made.

In the meantime, make this cake. Make it and have it with a cup of tea or coffee on a rainy summer day and enjoy.

 

Yield: 1 cake

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

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A fudgy and chocolaty chocolate olive oil cake that is packed with exotic flavor

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour**
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• dried rose petals
• pistachios, chopped
• flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with some oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and water until it forms a thin paste. Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.
3. In another bowl mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. In a mixer, beat together the sugar, eggs, and extra virgin olive oil until light in color.
5. Beat in the chocolate mixture into the oil mixture until well combined.
6. Fold in the flour until there are no white streak and pour into the springform pan.
7. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. The edges should be set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.
9. While the cake is cooling, beat together the heavy cream, cardamom, and powdered sugar. until medium peaks form. Chill until ready to serve the cake.
10. Top slices of the cake with rose petals, pistachio, flaky salt, and whipped cream.

Notes

** I found out after making the cake that there was a typo in the cookbook. It should have read 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour. However, I used only 1/3 cup and it came out just fine. Only thinner and more fudgy!

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 397