Vegan Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

An egg-free, dairy-free chocolate cake built on the same principle that makes Mediterranean olive oil cakes so good: good olive oil brings a fruitiness butter simply doesn’t.

Serves

8–10

Prep Time / Cook Time

20 minutes prep, 40 minutes cook

Ingredients

Dry

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar

Wet

• 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk (or other plant milk)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

• Powdered sugar, for dusting (or a simple dark chocolate–coconut cream ganache)
• Orange zest, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Whisk the almond milk and apple cider vinegar together; let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled (a plant-based buttermilk).
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
4. Add the almond milk mixture, olive oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined and smooth — do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 35–40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Dust with powdered sugar, or top with ganache and a touch of orange zest, before serving.

Cultural Spotlight

Fun Fact: Olive oil cakes are a genuine baking tradition across Italy, Spain, and Greece, valued for the moist crumb and fruity depth olive oil gives compared to butter. This recipe is an ND adaptation — made egg-free and dairy-free — inspired by that Mediterranean tradition, and isn’t presented as a traditional family recipe.

A Note on This Recipe’s Diet

As formulated, this cake genuinely contains no eggs, butter, or dairy milk. It has not been tested in a facility free of allergens, so if you’re cooking for someone with a diagnosed food allergy, check your own ingredient labels rather than relying on this note alone.

Chef’s Notes

A tablespoon of instant espresso powder added to the dry ingredients deepens the chocolate flavor without adding coffee taste. The cake keeps well, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.