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A dark, moist chocolate cake made in one bowl with no eggs, dairy or mixer.
This is the cake worth committing to memory: one bowl, a whisk, store-cupboard basics, and not an egg or splash of dairy in sight, yet it bakes up remarkably moist and properly chocolatey. The olive oil keeps it tender for days and slips in a gentle fruitiness underneath the cocoa. It happens to be vegan, it never seems to fail, and it is exactly the thing for a sudden chocolate craving.
Jump to recipe
Prep 10 min
Cook 33 min
Total 43 min
Easy
Scale:
- 200g Plain Flour
- 50g Cocoa Powder
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 120ml Olive Oil
- 240ml Warm Water
- 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Nutrition (per serving)
325
kcal
4g
Protein
48g
Carbs
15g
Fat
Estimated per serving. How we calculate this.
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 180C (350F) and line a 20cm round tin.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl until evenly combined.
- Make a well in the middle and add the olive oil, vinegar and vanilla, then pour the warm water (or coffee) over the lot.
- Whisk just until smooth; the batter will be quite loose, which is exactly right.
- Pour into the tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool completely before dusting with icing sugar or finishing with a simple glaze.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Swap the water for warm coffee to deepen the chocolate; you won't actually taste coffee in the finished cake.
- Don't leave out the vinegar, as it reacts with the baking soda to lift the crumb.
- The batter is supposed to be thin and pourable, so resist the urge to add more flour.
- Let it cool fully before glazing, or the topping will slide straight off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, there are no eggs or dairy in it. Just double-check your sugar and cocoa are vegan if that matters to you.
Yes. Divide the batter between a lined muffin tin and cut the bake down to roughly 18 to 20 minutes.
Oil keeps the cake moist for longer than butter and brings a subtle savoury, fruity note that sits beautifully against dark chocolate.
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