Treat yourself to chocolate cake using best olive oil as a substitute for butter in baking helps to deliver health benefits.
Updated July 6th 2023
Many chocolate cake recipes feature the “Death By Chocolate” layer upon layer of chocolate for the ultimate dessert, reportedly invented by Marcel Desaulniers at The Trellis in Williamsburg back in the 1980s. Death by chocolate even featured in the Agatha Christie novel, A Murder is Announced, in which the housekeeper Mitzi bakes a murderously rich chocolate cake for her employees birthday. Now however as people become more health conscious, Morocco Gold are delighted to present an alternative to death, by substituting our olive oil for butter to create ‘Health By Chocolate’.
Why Extra Virgin Olive Oil As A Substitute For Butter
When it comes to baking it’s easy to default to butter as the standard ingredient. However, did you know that extra virgin olive oil makes for a healthier and equally tasty substitute? Not only does it provide a unique and subtle flavor to baked goods, but it is also lower in saturated fat and higher in heart healthy monounsaturated fat compared to butter.
Best olive oil has a number of health benefits that make it a better choice than butter for baking. First, best olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Additionally, olive oil is rich in antioxidants, which can protect against cell damage and help to improve blood sugar control.
Finally, best olive oil contains anti-inflammatory compounds that can help to reduce inflammation throughout the body. When choosing an olive oil for baking, it is important to choose one that is labelled “extra virgin,” as this indicates that it has been made from the first cold pressing of the olives and has not been exposed to high temperatures or chemicals during processing. This results in a higher quality olive oil that retains more of its nutrients.
Cake Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (60 grams) unsweetened cocoa, any variety, sifted if lumpy
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (145 grams) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) water or coffee
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar or white vinegar
Glaze
- 3/4 cup (135 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons (10 grams) cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (20 grams) light corn syrup (for shine)
- A pinch or two of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add water and vinegar and whisk until smooth.
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the centre comes out with just a few sticky crumbs (but not wet or loose batter). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
- Make glaze: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl and microwave to melt, in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides.
- Cake keeps: At room temperature for 2 to 3 days and up to a week in the fridge. On day 4 in the fridge, ours was as moist as day one, basically a miracle.
- SERVINGS: 8 TO 12
- TIME: 45 MINUTES
Baking with extra virgin olive oil can bring a new and wonderful twist to any of your favourite baked goods. Using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter is also a great way to cut saturated fats out of your favourite treats. Baking using extra virgin olive oil also adds a wonderful, nuanced flavour to your favourite cakes.
An ideal treat this World Chocolate Day and indeed any other time you feel like it, this cake base is vegan and makes for an excellent layer cake. The glaze is vegan if you use dairy-free chocolate chips. Can be made with water or coffee.
A little history of chocolate.
