Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

A dairy-free, gluten-free single-layer chocolate cake made with fruity olive oil and ground almonds, with a soft, damp crumb.

Ingredients

• 150ml regular olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 50g good cocoa powder
• 125ml boiling water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 150g ground almonds (or 125g plain flour)
• 0.5 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

• 200g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/gas mark 3 and grease and line a 23cm springform tin.
2. Sift the cocoa into a bowl and whisk in the boiling water until smooth, then whisk in the vanilla and set aside to cool a little.
3. In another bowl combine the ground almonds, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, olive oil and eggs with an electric whisk for about 3 minutes until pale, thick and aerated.
5. Turn the speed down and pour in the cocoa mixture, then add the almond mixture and beat briefly to combine.
6. Pour into the tin and bake for about 40-45 minutes until the edges are set and the centre still slightly springy; cool in the tin.

Notes

Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Olive Oil Cake (Nigellissima / nigella.com).