There are many recipes for chocolate olive oil cake, but they all share similarities with Nigella Lawson’s iconic 2012 recipe. This recipe pays homage to her original chocolate olive oil cake, with a few tweaks to add a touch of Wild Epicurean—a perfect excuse to post a recipe in celebration of the latest olive oil harvest. The secret ingredients are good-quality olive oil, the best-quality cocoa powder, and a hint of turmeric—a fabulous combination. Turmeric is great with chocolate; its earthy, peppery flavour pops the chocolatiness.
I’ve opted for flour rather than almond flour, which keeps it both light and rich in texture. It’s delightfully easy to prepare and perfect either as a dessert or a cake. It dances between the two. Don’t skimp on whisking the olive oil, eggs, and yoghurt – the mixture should be light and foamy. Similarly, it is vital to dissolve the cocoa powder in hot turmeric tea, hot water, coffee, or tea. There are options available if turmeric isn’t your thing. Blooming the cocoa in hot water intensifies the flavour.
I decorated the cake with a dusting of cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and dried rose petals. But you could add cream or crème fraîche and fresh seasonal fruits, such as pomegranate seeds, which also complement chocolate very well.
For a more decadent dessert, try the Gâteau au Chocolat, also super quick and easy.
Equipment
- 1 23 cm loose based tart tin lightly greased and dusted with flour
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g Greek yoghurt (approximately ¼ cup)
- 180 ml olive oil
- 195 g light soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 135 g all purpose flour
- 60 g pure cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 125 ml hot turmeric tea or black coffee/tea/water use one turmeric tea bag for the 125 ml
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C
- Steep the tea bag in boiling water or make 125 ml of strong black coffee. Mix in the cocoa until completely dissolved and set aside.
- Sieve the baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and flour, and set aside.
- In a food processor or with a hand whisk, whisk the eggs, sugar and turmeric powder until pale and fluffy. Stream in the olive oil and then the yoghurt. It should be light and billowy.
- Add the vinegar and hot tea. Fold in the flour in 3 batches until fully incorporated, but don't overmix.
- Bake on the middle shelf for 35 minutes. Take a peek at 25-30 mins and if is starting to brown – cover with some silver foil. It should take no longer than 40 minutes – a knife should come out just clean.
- Serve on its own or with cream or crème fraîche. Particularly good served warm.
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