I got the idea for this cake after seeing a chocolate olive oil cake at Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Olive Oil Cake is fairly small, so I figured I’d make a similar cake in a loaf pan. Using and modifying one of my old favorite pound cake recipes, I came up with a new recipe. It tasted great, but was not very pretty at all because the top had a flaky, slightly sunken appearance. However, the texture was wonderful, so I made the cake again in a 6 cup capacity Bundt. Much better!
Six Cup Capacity Bundt Pan
If you don’t already have one, I recommend adding a six cup capacity Bundt pan to your collection. With the smaller size Bundt, you can halve almost any standard size Bundt recipe, thus not having to deal with too much leftover cake. That being said, if you don’t have the 6 cup Bundt you can use a 9×5 inch loaf pan. The top of the loaf won’t be rounded and lovely, but you can invert the Chocolate Olive Oil Cake and serve it upside down.
And finally, any olive oil will work. I was worried the type of olive oil we like using (basically the most robust, buttery, version we can find) would be too strong, so I cut the olive oil a bit with regular oil. That was unnecessary. I used the full amount of olive oil the second time around and the cake was even better.
Recipe
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour 4 1/2 oz or 130 grams
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 2 large leggs at room temperature plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups ultrafine granulated sugar 300 grams
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature or milk soured with lemon juice**
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 6 cup capacity Bundt pan or spray it with flour added baking spray.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Whisk in the salt and espresso powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached, beat the eggs and egg yolk for about a minute. With the mixer going, gradually add the sugar and continue beating until thick and lemon colored and batter falls of whisk in ribbons. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add olive oil and vanilla.
- With mixer on the lowest speed (or by hand), add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Pour into the greased tube pan. Set it on a baking sheet and bake for about 45-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then carefully invert.
Anna
Glad you liked it! Thanks for leaving the feedback :).
Adriana
Worked out perfectly and were very popular! 🙂 I made an icing with butter, dash of cream, lots of cocoa powder and icing which topped it off nicely. Thanks for the recipe!
Terry
Thanks Anna! I’ll do it in a loaf pan…it sounds too delicious not to bake! Of course I’ll have to try the sour cream, buttermilk creation also…ohhh…I can tell I need to work out more already! Wait…that’s why they invented spandex, right?? Ha!
Anna
Terry, if you are going to make a full size, I recommend this one.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2006/06/chocolate-sour-cream-buttermilk-bundt-cake/
The olive oil cake is kind of delicate in crumb and texture. Doubling it may or may not work and I just can’t guarantee. You could do it in a loaf pan, though!
Terry
Well dang! I just bought, and received, a new regular sized bundt pan! So can I double the recipe? Bake for how long? Sounds delicious! Yum yum!!
Sue
Yes I should get a small bundt pan like yours. With just two people I can’t believe I haven’t bought one yet. The cake sounds and looks delicious.
Sonya
Cool!
Angie
As an Italian I can only say that ANYTHING IS BETTER WHEN MADE WITH OLIVE OIL!
I am fascinated with this recipe and plan to make it after we get back from vacation!
Thank you Anna for another recipe to try.
I make cookies from your cookbook and have loved every one of them!!!