This is likely the best chocolate cake I’ve made: super moist, deeply chocolatey, mixed in one bowl and tender for days. It’s a rich single-layer chocolate olive oil cake finished with a light whipped cherry ganache. One bite leads to another—beware, you may want more.
This cake pairs the playful charm of cherries with the elegance of dark chocolate. Instead of the usual ganache or jam, a whipped cherry ganache brings freshness and lift to the dense chocolate base.
To make the ganache, cook ripe cherries into a smooth compote, warm heavy cream, pour both over raspberry white chocolate, cool the mixture, then chill overnight. The next day you whip it into a light, pipeable frosting that complements the rich cake perfectly. It’s a crowd-pleaser—friends have called it “oh la la” and I agree.
Frosting Options
If you don’t love cherry, try a honey Swiss meringue buttercream or a brown butter buttercream for a silky, lighter finish that still pairs beautifully with this chocolate cake.
Key Ingredients
- Olive Oil: It won’t make the cake taste grassy. Olive oil enhances chocolate flavor and keeps the crumb tender and moist for days. Use a mellow olive oil the first time; substitute sunflower oil if needed.
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: I prefer alkalized cocoa for a deeper, less acidic chocolate flavor.
- Espresso Powder (Instant Coffee): A teaspoon brightens and deepens the chocolate without making the cake taste like coffee.
- Cake Flour: Lower protein yields a softer, more delicate crumb—ideal for a single-layer cake.
- Crème Fraîche: Higher fat than sour cream, crème fraîche gives moisture and a lush mouthfeel. It replaces buttermilk or sour cream in this recipe for a semi-dense but not heavy texture.
- Fresh Cherries: Ripe, pitted cherries are cooked into the puree for the whipped ganache. Reserve a few fresh cherries for decoration.
- Raspberry White Chocolate: Using raspberry white chocolate adds a subtle fruit note and a natural pink hue to the ganache. If unavailable, use a quality white chocolate with at least 35% butterfat.
- Heavy Cream: Combined with the fruit puree and melted chocolate to form a ganache that’s chilled and then whipped to a pipeable consistency.
How to Make Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
- Whisk together the cake flour, Dutch cocoa, instant espresso, leaveners, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together both sugars, eggs, vanilla, crème fraîche and olive oil until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients in two additions, stirring just until combined. The batter will be slightly thick—avoid overmixing.
- Stir in hot water slowly until the batter becomes smooth and glossy.
- Pour the batter into a prepared 9-inch round pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. The cake will settle and level as it cools.
- Once cooled, invert the cake onto a serving plate, pipe the whipped cherry ganache over the top, and garnish with fresh cherries.
Jenn’s Tips
- Make Ahead
- Day One:
- Bake the cake, cool completely, and wrap in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature or refrigerate.
- Make the cherry puree and prepare the ganache; chill it overnight so the chocolate sets up properly.
- Day Two: Whip the chilled ganache until fluffy and decorate the cake.
- Day One:
- Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving; the stabilized whipped ganache will hold its shape at room temperature for serving.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and a review if you make this recipe — thank you!
No ratings yet
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Cherry Ganache
By Jenn Davis
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
Pin
Print
A single-layer, super-moist chocolate olive oil cake topped with a light, fruity whipped cherry ganache.
Equipment
-
kitchen scale
-
9-inch cake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
- 160 grams cake flour (8–9% protein)
- 50 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1.25 grams instant espresso powder (about 1 tsp)
- 100 grams hot water
- 5 grams baking soda
- 1 gram baking powder
- 4 grams fine sea salt
- 112 grams olive oil (or sunflower oil)
- 150 grams granulated sugar
- 150 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams eggs (about 2 large), room temperature
- 6 grams vanilla paste
- 165 grams crème fraîche, room temperature
Whipped Cherry Ganache
- 1 batch whipped cherry ganache (prepare ahead)
Instructions
Prep
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). For convection, lower the temperature by 25°F. Spray a 9-inch round pan with baking spray and line the bottom with parchment.
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
-
Whisk together the flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
-
In a larger bowl, whisk the sugars, olive oil, eggs, crème fraîche and vanilla until smooth.
-
Fold half the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stir just to combine, then add the remaining dry ingredients.
-
Stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth and glossy.
-
Bake on the middle rack for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
-
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and cool completely.
-
Once cooled, frost with the whipped cherry ganache or wrap and store unfrosted for later.
Top with Whipped Cherry Ganache
-
Remove the chilled ganache from the fridge and whip in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium for 2–3 minutes until thick with medium-stiff peaks.
-
Pipe or spread the ganache on the cake. If it softens, chill 10–15 minutes and continue decorating.
Notes
- Storage:
- Unfrosted cake: room temperature up to 3 days (wrapped), refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 3 months.
- Frosted cake: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Tried this recipe?Share your results and tag the creator on social media if you like.