Chocolate Olive Oil Cake is the little black dress of your dessert table: simple enough for a weeknight, but easy to dress up for a special occasion. It takes just 15 minutes to prep, with a rich chocolate flavor and an exceptionally tender crumb from extra-virgin olive oil.

A Tender Chocolate Cake with a Mediterranean Twist

If you’re a true chocolate lover, this cake gives you plenty of deep cocoa flavor without being overly sweet. Extra-virgin olive oil takes the place of butter, lending its fruity flavor and keeping the crumb soft and tender.

The Greek yogurt whip is my favorite way to finish it. Its cool, tangy flavor balances the rich chocolate beautifully, especially with a handful of fresh berries. But this cake doesn’t need much: a simple dusting of powdered sugar works just as well.

And while it looks elegant enough to finish a dinner party, the cake itself is surprisingly straightforward. You’ll whisk cocoa and cinnamon with hot water until smooth, beat the eggs, olive oil, and sugar until pale and fluffy, then bring everything together before baking for 35 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients for Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

A few ingredient choices make a real difference here, particularly the cocoa powder and olive oil. Here’s what you’ll need and why it matters:

• Hot water: Whisking the cocoa and cinnamon with hot water turns them into a smooth paste before they go into the batter. This hydrates the cocoa powder so it blends evenly and gives the cake deep chocolate flavor.
• All-purpose flour: Provides the cake’s structure while keeping the crumb light. You can substitute your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, though the texture will be slightly denser. For a naturally flourless option, try my Flourless Chocolate Cake with Cardamom instead.
• Baking soda: Works with the acidity in natural cocoa powder to help the cake rise.
• Kosher salt: A small amount sharpens the chocolate flavor and keeps the sweetness in balance.
• Eggs: Give the cake structure and richness. Be sure to give them the full whipping time with the olive oil and sugar—the mixture should become pale and fluffy before you move on.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: Olive oil keeps the crumb beautifully tender while adding subtle fruity flavor. For chocolate cake, I prefer a smooth, mild oil rather than one with very grassy or peppery notes. Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my go-to for baking.
• Vanilla and almond extracts: Vanilla rounds out the chocolate, while a little almond extract complements the fruity flavor of the olive oil. No almond extract? Vanilla extract works instead.
• Organic cane sugar: Adds sweetness with a subtle caramel-like flavor. Regular granulated sugar also works well.
• Natural cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa here rather than Dutch-process or black cocoa. Natural cocoa is acidic, which matters because the batter uses baking soda for lift. It also brings a deep chocolate flavor without making the cake overly sweet.
• Cinnamon: Just 1/2 teaspoon warms up the cocoa without making the cake taste distinctly of cinnamon.
• Heavy cream, Greek yogurt, and powdered sugar: These make the optional Greek yogurt whip. It’s cool, lightly tangy, and just sweet enough to balance the rich cake.
• Fresh berries: Optional, but especially good with the yogurt whip.

If you’re looking for another rich chocolate dessert that pairs chocolate with fruity olive oil, try this Dark Chocolate and Olive Oil Mousse.

How to Make Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

The batter comes together quickly, but two steps are worth giving your full attention: whipping the egg mixture until pale and fluffy and mixing the flour only until it disappears.

1. Prepare the pan. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Sift the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Sifting helps break up any lumps so the flour incorporates evenly later.
3. Make the cocoa mixture. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water to a small pot and bring it to a simmer. Remove the pot from the heat and immediately whisk in 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth. You’re looking for a smooth paste without dry pockets of cocoa.
4. Beat the eggs, olive oil, and sugar. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer and large bowl, combine 3 eggs, 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1 cup organic cane sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes, until the mixture is pale yellow, fluffy, and falls from the beater in ribbons.
5. Bring the batter together. Add the cocoa mixture to the egg mixture and beat on medium-low just until incorporated, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix only until no dry streaks remain. Once the flour is in, avoid prolonged mixing so the cake stays tender.
6. Bake. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes. The cake is ready when a tester inserted into the center comes away with a few damp crumbs clinging to it. Don’t wait for the tester to come out completely dry.
7. Cool and unmold. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Run a butter knife carefully around the edge, then invert the cake onto a large plate and peel away the parchment.
8. Make the Greek yogurt whip. Combine 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar. Whip on medium to medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
9. Serve. Slice the cake and add a spoonful of Greek yogurt whip and fresh berries. Or keep things very simple with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

Tips for a Tender, Moist Cake

This is a forgiving cake, but these small details make the texture and chocolate flavor especially good:

• Use natural cocoa powder. Dutch-process and black cocoa aren’t good substitutes here because the batter is formulated around the acidity of natural cocoa and baking soda.
• Choose a mild, fruity olive oil. The olive oil is a noticeable flavor in a simple cake like this. A smooth oil lets the chocolate stay front and center while still adding a subtle fruity note.
• Whip the egg mixture for the full 4 minutes. Look for a pale, fluffy mixture that falls from the beaters in ribbons. That visible change in texture is your cue to move on.
• Mix gently once the flour goes in. Stop as soon as the dry streaks disappear. There’s no benefit to continuing once the batter is combined.
• Use the crumb test for doneness. A tester with a few damp crumbs means the center is baked but still moist. If you wait until it comes out completely dry, you risk taking the cake too far.
• Let the cake cool before turning it out. Give it at least 1 hour on a wire rack. The crumb needs time to set before you invert the cake.

Why Use Olive Oil in Chocolate Cake?

Extra-virgin olive oil does two jobs in this cake: it provides the fat that keeps the crumb tender and brings its own subtle flavor to the chocolate.

Because olive oil stays liquid at room temperature, the cake remains soft rather than firming up the way a butter-based cake can as it cools. That works particularly well with cocoa powder, which can otherwise make a cake feel dry.

Flavor matters, too. A mild, fruity olive oil rounds out cocoa’s slight bitterness without competing with it. That’s why I reach for Arbequina here rather than a more assertive, peppery oil.

Want to know more about how olive oil changes cakes, breads, and other baked goods? See our complete guide to baking with olive oil.

What Olive Oil Is Best for Chocolate Cake?

Choose a smooth, fruity extra-virgin olive oil rather than an intensely grassy or peppery one. Arbequina works especially well here because its mild flavor complements the cocoa rather than competing with it.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake Toppings

I love this cake with the Greek yogurt whip because its tangy flavor cuts through the richness of the chocolate. But think of the cake as the little black dress of your dessert table: you can keep it simple or dress it up as much as you like.

Try:

• Serving each slice with mixed berry compote, strawberry compote, or a scoop of homemade frozen yogurt.
• Adding fresh berries over the Greek yogurt whip.
• Shaving dark chocolate over the top with a vegetable peeler.
• Adding sprinkles for a birthday cake or a few torn mint leaves for freshness.
• Flavoring the yogurt whip with a little cinnamon, orange zest, or cardamom.
• Skipping the whip altogether and dusting the cake with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

What to Serve with Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

For an everyday dessert, a cup of coffee or hot tea is really all this cake needs.

If you’re serving it at the end of a dinner party or holiday meal, Italian Mulled Wine (Vin Brulé) makes the whole thing feel especially cozy. You can also pair it with an Ouzo Drink with Lemon and Mint; the anise flavor of ouzo is a nice match for deep chocolate.

And if you want to turn one slice into a more elaborate dessert, add Greek yogurt whip, fresh berries, and a spoonful of berry compote. No complicated decorating required.

More Cake Recipes to Try

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Cardamom

Orange Olive Oil Cake with Cardamom

Italian Apple Olive Oil Cake

Greek Honey Cake with Orange and Pistachios