Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Updated Oct 11, 2025
Chocolate olive oil cake made with extra virgin olive oil, cocoa powder, and instant espresso for a rich chocolate flavor, and topped with powdered sugar!
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Try my chocolate olive oil cake!
When I’m craving something chocolatey but don’t want to mess with layers or frosting, I make this chocolate olive oil cake recipe. It’s rich and has a deep cocoa flavor that pairs well with the fruity olive oil.
Everything comes together in one bowl with simple ingredients I always have on hand: flour, sugar, cocoa, and good olive oil. Sometimes I add a pinch of espresso powder to bring out the chocolate even more. Once it’s baked, a light dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake Ingredients
- Olive oil: I recommend extra virgin olive oil for this cake. Regular olive oil works, but the cake will have a more neutral flavor.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour (or cake flour), unsweetened cocoa powder, instant espresso powder (or 1 tbsp instant coffee), baking powder (aluminum-free), baking soda, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Milk, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and hot water (or hot coffee).
How to Make Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- Nonstick baking spray as needed
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ cup milk
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup hot water
- Powdered sugar optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper, then spray with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until combined. Next, add the hot water and mix until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, smoothing it into an even layer.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Use room-temperature eggs. The yolks are softer at room temperature, which makes it easier to incorporate them into the batter.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Seal tightly to prevent freezer burn. The cake will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw for a few hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This recipe was part of our monthly Cooking Challenge for March 2024! Thank you for joining us in making this delicious Chocolate Olive Oil Cake!
Recipe Variations
- Add deluxe mix-ins. Stir ¾ cup chocolate chips, toasted walnuts, toasted pecans, or dried cherries into the batter before baking. Or, add zest from an orange or blood orange.
- Finish with a glossy glaze. Here’s how to make chocolate ganache with just two ingredients.
- Serve with something sweet. Here’s how to make whipped cream and how to make icing. No-churn ice cream is a nice option, too!
Recipe Tips
- Use room-temperature eggs. The yolks are softer at room temperature, which makes it easier to incorporate them into the batter.
- Sift the dry ingredients if you have time. It removes lumps, makes the batter lighter, and helps you avoid overmixing.
- Don’t overmix the batter. When combining the dry and wet ingredients, fold gently until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough cake.
- Cool the cake first. Let it cool for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This way, it’ll be easier to remove from the pan.
FAQs
Make sure to line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. After you remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes so the cake can release from the pan. Then, carefully run a butter knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it and gently invert the pan onto a flat surface, like a dinner plate, to fully release the cake. Peel off the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake and flip it right-side-up onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Comments
I made this but with carob powder and added another tsp of vanilla. The consistency and not to sweet is the perfect cross of a brownie and cake. Definitely one of the best chocolate cakes. I plan to try again gluten and dairy free with it next.
This made my day. I’m so happy you enjoyed it so much, Evan!
I’ll never use another chocolate cake recipe! We have made this so many times. Sometimes i’ll serve with a cream, or cherry preserves or fresh strawberries, or just all on its own. You really can’t go wrong when you have a good base like this cake. Thank you for this recipe, it’s on a recipe card in our ‘favorites’ box! 🙂
Love that!! Aww, I am so happy to hear it’s a favorite in your house. Love all the different variations you’ve made. Yum!! Thank you, Kelsey!
This chocolate Olive Oil cake was surprisingly good. I liked how moist and flavorful it was. It was simple and easy to make. I like a no fuss cake.
What an easy and delicious cake! I added a pinch of instant espresso and served with fresh berries and whipped cream. Yum!
This is absolutely wonderful and easy to make! It will surely become a once a week or more often staple in our house!
So glad to hear!
Delicious!
I made them for my daughter’s party and everyone LOVED it. Also very easy to make, and I was surprised to see how fluffy it was.
Thank you1
So happy it worked out so well!
This was a hit at the dinner table! for my family that loves “not too sweet” cakes this was just perfect!! I love the slight crust on top sweetened by powdered sugar, and the olive oil really added a unique depth of flavor. I used a 1/1 gluten free flour substitute for my mother who’s gluten sensitive and it worked perfectly! so excited to have this with some tea for suhoor!
Thank you for your challenge concerning the Chocolate olive oil cake. Being a beginner to baking I found the recipe simple to make. I didn’t ice the finished product, just dusted it lightly with icing sugar. It came out well-shaped and tasted delicious. It was moist and had a distinct chocolate taste. I swapped the ingredient around a little and instead of using the cocoa powder that I had none of I used the same amount of raw cacao powder. Finished the remains last night with homemade caramel coffee ice cream. It worked well together. I appreciate your emails and I am finding a real joy in baking even at the ripe age of 67. very calming.
So glad to hear, I’m happy you enjoyed this one!
Thank you Yumna, I enjoy your recipes. I find them to be simple to follow, quick and flavorful.
I made the Chocolate Olive Oil Cake yesterday. It turned out moist which was great. It wasn’t as sweet as I would have liked. It might be because of the cacao I used, and maybe it was meant to be not too sweet. For that reason I am giving it 4 stars.
Thanks for your feedback! Did you use cacoa powder or cocoa powder? Cocoa powder will give a more classic chocolate flavor to this cake.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes! 🙂
This wasn’t your everyday chocolate cake. Sugar rush and loaded with frosting. Not as sweet, was missing that a bit, lol. My cake cracked a bit at the top and didn’t taste to chocolatey, but it was nice and moist. My in-laws liked it! Easy recipe to follow. Who said a healthier version chocolate cake isn’t as good.
Glad you enjoyed it! For a more chocolate foward flavor, just make sure you use a good quality fresh cocoa powder.
An easy recipe! The smell and the taste are so good! Definitely, on top of my cakes recipes ☺️
Yay, thanks so much!
Great cake. I was worried about the texture until I added the hot water 😂 I didn’t need to bake the full 30 minutes, more like 25. Definitely worth trying!
Thanks for your feedback!
Absolutely love this recipe! From the texture to the taste everything was spot on! I never knew chocolate and olive oil would be such a great combination.
Easy to make! Very light and fluffy yet very packed with chocolate favor!
So happy you enjoyed this, I love that this cake comes together so quickly and easily.
The cake tasted amazing!
This Chocolate Olive cake was so light and moist. Satisfies chocolate cravings and is so easy to make. Clean up is a snap. I will be making this again! So good!
So happy you enjoyed it!
This cake was absolutely delicious! It’s perfect for chocolate lovers like myself. The chocolate flavor is rich and decadent and it tastes amazing with some powdered sugar on top! I made it for dessert last night and will definitely be making it again!
This chocolate olive oil cake was so easy to make and tasted amazing!
So glad to hear!
This cake was so good, moist and easy👍🏼👍🏼
So glad to hear!
My teenage son and I made the chocolate olive oil cake. We really enjoyed it! I would make it again, but would follow the suggestion to add chocolate chips before baking.
Happy you enjoyed it!
Easy, delicious and impressive. This cake was simple to make and a hit with my company. I served with powdered sugar and berries on the side
Yay, glad it was a hit!
Yum a, I don’t have espresso powder nor instant coffee however, I drink percolated coffee. What do I do in this case?
Hi there, you could swap the hot water for 1/4 cup of hot coffee.