Friday 16 August 2013

Olive Oil Chocolate Almond Cake

I'm all for healthier recipes that do not use any butter and was naturally drawn to this Nigella recipe which uses heart healthy olive oil. 


The recipe gives a choice of regular plain flour or a gluten free version using almond meal. I always have a bag of almond meal in my refrigerator so I used that although I read that the texture may be denser. However, that is certainly more nutritious and I don't mind it not as fluffy. 


The cake turned out to be so delicious - a pudding-like texture that tastes almost feather-like once you bite into it. It almost melts in the mouth and I ate up two pieces immediately after unearthing it from the cake tin. It's one of those almost guilt-free recipes I'd love to make again. 


Olive Oil Chocolate Cake (9 inch)
A Nigella recipe

Ingredients

  • 150 ml regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
  • 50 grams good-quality cocoa powder (sifted)
  • 125 ml boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons best vanilla extract
  • 150 grams ground almonds (or 125g plain flour / 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 200 grams caster sugar (I reduced by 20%)
  • 3 large eggs

Method
  • Preheat your oven to 170°C/gas mark 3/325ºF. Grease a 22 or 23 cm/ 9inch springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.
  • Measure and sift the cocoa powder into a bowl or jug and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
  • In another smallish bowl, combine the ground almonds (or flour) with the bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt.
  • Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream.
  • Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in you can slowly tip in the ground almond (or flour) mixture.
  • Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
  • Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in its tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding.
This is for Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Anuja from Simple Baking

I am submitting this to the Little Thumbs Up "Egg" event organized by Bake for Happy Kids,my little favourite DIY and hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out

32 comments:

  1. This chocolate look very inviting and tempted me to try out. I love cake that is moist.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Delicious and indulgent! I'm all for using olive oil with cakes!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, looks so gorgeous! Very moist and delicious chocolate almond cake!

    ReplyDelete
  4. wicked wicked sinful cake! drrrooolllll

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello, the pictures tell all! It looks delicious & so moist! I wish that I can eat this cake that you baked!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Mich, love your almond chocolate...awesome! Love the moist texture. 2 thumbs up for you. Well done!

    Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the fact that you used olive oil and almonds in this! This sounds perfectly delicious! Your photo is absolutely gorgeous! Great post! =D

    ReplyDelete
  8. It looks really moist! Love the way you serve with fruits :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. melt in the mouth? wow, i'm loving this too! Looks really like an irresistible kind of choc cake!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The texture of this cake looks superb and I can just imagine that it would keep very well (if you can resist eating it all at once).

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's a nice looking cake you have there, Mich. May I have a piece? I'll trade you a link for Olive Oil Ice Cream if you will pass along one or even two pieces, lol...

    Thank you so much for sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is DIVINE, Mich. I would prefer it made with almond...a flourless chocolate heaven!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Mich, I actually like baking with oil/olive oil bcos I don't have to wait for the butter to soften haha! For different reasons from you. But I really love the moist texture of the cake. Thx for linking to LTU!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Mich,
    This is one lovely delicious looking cake! I don't mind having a slice or two myself!
    Thank you for linking to CLAS!

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is truly a beautifully baked cake. Loved the texture

    ReplyDelete
  16. It looks fantastic!
    I must say that we bake here lots of cakes with oil (not butter) in order to make them dairy-free) but I've never used olive oil.
    You didn't taste it in the cake??

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your cake looks so nice and delicious, and yet it is so healthy, i like this cake.

    ReplyDelete
  18. This olive oil cake looks wonderful. I've made a citrus olive oil cake, but I never would have thought to try it with chocolate. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Mich , your cake looks beautiful ! I love how moist it is :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Mich, looks so moist and yummy, must bookmarked!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Mich, I have always thought using olive oil in cakes is a little strange but I am going to give it a try!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I remember making a cake similar to this before and I loved the texture and flavour of it, it looks so moist.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Mich, your chocolate cake looks fabulous, love the deep color and the texture of it..I yet have to bake cake using olive oily.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe and have a lovely week :D

    ReplyDelete
  24. I agree olive oil is best in cakes as they are so much lighter. I really love the look of this chocolate cake. I love the combo chocolate and almonds. Truly divine. Well done!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Mich...this looks heavenly. So rich and dense. Thank you for sharing such a great cake recipe...and made with olive oil too. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi Mich,

    This gluten-free chocolate cake look wonderfully moist. I would love to bake this for my friend's coming birthday so that my celiac friend can enjoy this cake too.

    Zoe

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am also for healthier desserts. This looks so yummy, I love chocolate cakes.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I baked this too but didn't post it yet...agreed that it is very delicious and moist!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thanks for sharing a healthier gluten-free cake that looks so divine and chocolatey!

    ReplyDelete
  30. wow! wow! WoW! We like this food, we love this cake and we like to invite you to upload your unusual delicious & unexplored recipe on Find best dishes at restaurants in Ahmedabad

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have discovered your blog today and I love it!! You make very beautiful things and your tutorials are very good. I will add your blog to my list. Congratulations for your works!!

    online cake shop Singapore

    ReplyDelete