Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

This is a super easy and delicious cake for chocolate lovers--and my personal favorite of all my cake recipes! This one is based off of Melissa Clark's recipe that I discovered in the NY Times.

You can choose the liquid for dissolving the dark cocoa. My personal favorite is orange. I zest 2 medium oranges and use the juice for the cocoa. But you can choose according to your own taste and mood--some options are:  coffee, red wine, a flavorful tea, cranberry or other juices--the sky's the limit!!

I usually bake it in a 9x11 Pyrex pan that I also use to store it because it has a lid --or you can bake it in a decorative pan and cover with wrap or a towel. OR you can line the baking pan with parchment paper if you want to place the cake elsewhere without the pan!

And as all olive oil cakes, it stays moist for days--and it freezes exceptionally well if you want to save some for another time (I wrap pieces in wrap and then in a zip lock before freezing).

This cake is more chocolatey than sweet, so for extra sweetness, plus decoration, you can sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving.

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees and lightly coat a 9x11 or 9-inch round pan with EVGE EVOO.
2. In a medium bowl, dissolve and whisk together your chosen liquid with cocoa, cinnamon, salt (and zest if using) until smooth, then set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, olive oil, eggs and vanilla.
4. Beat for about 3 minutes.
5. Reduce speed and pour in cocoa mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
   
6. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda until just incorporated.
7. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until the sides are set--about 45 minutes. A toothpick or wooden skewer should come up clean but may have just a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging, which is fine!
8. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan.
   If desired, sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving

Enjoy!!!!