A moist, dark chocolate olive oil cake that is perfect for a special occasion.

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This dark chocolate olive oil cake is decadent and delicious. Surprisingly, olive oil compliments chocolate really well since they both have slightly bitter qualities. It adds a beautiful smoothness to this dark chocolate cake. Plus, I add another surprisingly complimentary ingredient, cardamom. A little goes a long way, but cardamom adds a hint of floral to round out the delicious flavors and make this cake a showstopper.

Why your friends will ask for it
- Deep chocolatey goodness
- Fresh hint of cardamom
- Moist, fudgy cake
- Sweet sticky ganache
- Rich, smooth, fudgy chocolate cake that everyone will love!

It’s all about the chocolate
- Eggs –room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Olive oil –I like to do part light olive oil and part cold-pressed extra virgin
- Dark chocolate –your favorite brand
- Hot coffee –or a teaspoon of instant coffee
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda –makes the cake nice and soft
- Cocoa powder –good quality for the best flavor
- Ground cardamom seeds –substitute cinnamon, or you can leave out
Ganache icing
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate -whichever you prefer
- Heavy whipping cream
- Pure vanilla extract
Garnish
- Homemade whipped cream
- Berries -strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are all good

How to make Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C.
- Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Place the chocolate in a small bowl or pitcher and whisk in the hot coffee until the chocolate is melted.
- Add the olive oil and vanilla extract, and then set aside to cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cardamom in a bowl.
- Add the melted chocolate mixture to the mixer and beat on low speed.
- Then, add the flour mixture in a few batches until combined.
- Use a spatula to release anything stuck to the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and stir until incorporated.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely to set.
Baker’s tip! For a fudgy cake, cook until the sides are fully cooked but the center is still dense and moist. For a more firm cake, cook longer, so the center is fully cooked.
Ganache icing
- Heat the cream until scalding hot.
- Place the chocolate and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk in the cream until shiny and smooth.
- Transfer the cake to a serving platter and carefully remove the parchment paper.
- Spread the icing over the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.

Serving
I love how moist and fudgy the center of this cake is, and I really love the way it looks when the ganache is dripping down the sides. It looks so elegant. I like to serve the cake slices with a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top. Berries would add a bit of freshness, too. If you want to know how to make Greek coffee to go with it… and trust me, you do… here’s my recipe. Kali Orexi!
More Chocolate Recipes:

Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
A moist dark chocolate olive oil cake that is perfect for a special occasion.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 5 oz (140g) dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup hot coffee
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
The Icing:
- 4 oz (113g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Serving:
- homemade whipped cream
- berries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C.
Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Place the chocolate in a small bowl or pitcher and add the hot coffee over it. Whisk together until melted. Add the olive oil and vanilla extract and set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the eggs with the sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and cardamom in a bowl and whisk together.
Add the melted chocolate mixture to the mixer and beat on low speed.
Add the flour mixture in a few batches until combined.
Use a spatula to mix the batter and to release anything that is stuck to the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake on the center rack of the rpeheated oven for 35-45 minutes. The sides will be fully cooked but the center shoule still be dense and moist. Ovens bake differently so keep an eye on it.
Allow the cake to cool and make the icing.
Heat the cream until scalding hot. Place the chocolate and vanilla in a small bowl and add the cream. Whisk together until shiny and smooth.
Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Carefully remove the parchment paper.
Spread the icing over the top of the cake and allow it to drip down the sides.
Serve with homemade whipped cream and berries.
Kali Orexi!
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