Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake |

Ciao!!!
Coming your way with another Italy-inspired recipe that has been burning a hole in my brain...THIS amazinnggggg Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake!
I have actually baked with olive oil before, and it is surprisingly delicious! The mild savory, floral flavor is a wonderful foil to sweetness and, like salt or espresso, brings out the best in each ingredient. Plus, it has countless anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and skin benefits, IF you use high quality olive oil.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your Olive Oil!
- First, I suggest looking for "100% First Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil", as this means that the olives were crushed and pressed only once, preserving as much of the natural nutrition as possible. It also means that the oil was extracted at a low enough temperature that it did not oxidize and go rancid. Now, there is controversy as to whether or not this is an effective way to weed out poor quality oils, but it's a good place to start.
- Choose an organic olive oil, to ensure that no pesticides are lurking within.
- Choose an olive oil that comes in a dark, opaque bottle and store it in a cool, dry and dark place in your kitchen. Olive oil is fragile, so these precautions will help prevent oxidation.
- Every olive oil has a different flavor. For this particular recipe, I suggest an olive oil that is a little "fruitier" and more "floral", rather than "grassy" like some olive oils. Taste your brand before using it.
While in Florence, my momma and I had the immense pleasure of attending a private cooking lesson at Cooking In Florence Cooking School, and we spent the afternoon making olive-oil based desserts. My favorite of the bunch (and they were ALL divine), was a dreamy chocolate cake. Chocolate and olive oil are a match made in heaven!
I knew I wanted to create something similar for y'all, but I wanted a lazy version—one that didn't include whipping meringue or separating egg yolks (still fabulous techniques, though!). I also wanted something utterly dense and rich, as opposed to the lighter and fluffier texture we created.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
This cake is absurdly easy to throw together, and the result is M-O-I-S-T, decadent, and perfectly sweet—tempered beautifully by the olive oil and hint of chocolatey bitterness.
Another unique ingredient you might have noticed in this recipe....monkfruit sweetener!
Monkfruit is a small green gourd, typically grown in Southeast Asia. Monkfruit extract happens to be incredibly sweet, and yet it contains zero calories or carbohydrates. As a result, it has gained popularity as a healthy natural substitute for all sorts of sugars. I have been hesitant to use monkfruit for a while, as I first tried it in a smoothie, which had a funky aftertaste. But a friend encouraged me to try it in baked goods, and I've changed my tuned! I really don't notice a difference between the monkfruit version and all-coconut sugar version of this chocolate cake. However, feel free to use all coconut sugar, instead of the monkfruit, if you don't have it around or don't like it.
This cake is certainly indulgent, but not so much that you can't enjoy it as breakfast or an afternoon snack...Italians are all about cake for breakfast, and I am more than happy to jump on that train.
If you give my Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake a try, please tag me on Instagram @lauraleabalanced #llbalanced, so I can see your gorgeous creations!
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