Welcome to BA Bake Club, a community of curious bakers. Each month, senior test kitchen editors Jesse Szewczyk and Shilpa Uskokovic share a must-make recipe and dive deep on why it works. Come bake and learn with us—ask questions, share pics, listen to our podcast, and lots more here.
This one-bowl chocolate olive oil cake proves that, sometimes in baking, oil is better than butter. It delivers a rich, tender crumb, keeps cake moist for days, and adds floral complexity with grassy, peppery notes that complement both the cocoa and melted chocolate. Choose an extra-virgin olive oil for baking—nothing too expensive—for the best flavor.
The batter comes together with a whisk—no mixer, no creaming—making this an ideal low-effort, high-reward bake. On top, a generous swoosh of ganache-inspired frosting (with more olive oil) sets to a glossy sheen and a soft, fudgy texture. Finished with flaky sea salt, this is the kind of cake that feels equally right as a casual snack, a dinner party dessert, or something to make ahead and slice into all week (it’s even better the next day).
Tips for making chocolate olive oil cake
Can I swap in regular cocoa?
This recipe was designed to use Dutch-process cocoa powder, which has a lower acidity than natural cocoa. Swapping one for the other can cause the leavener (baking soda) to react differently, leading to a denser cake. The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen’s preferred Dutch cocoa powder is Guittard Cocoa Rouge.
Guittard
Guittard Rouge Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
This is a lot of frosting; do I have to use it all?
The recipe makes a generous amount of ganache for creating dramatic swoops, but a thin layer is also fine. Freeze the extra frosting for up to 3 months (thaw overnight and rewhisk to emulsify).
My frosting didn’t set, or looks oily or separated—did I mess up?
The mixture may look broken before adding the powdered sugar. Once combined, it will smooth out into a cohesive, glossy frosting.
If your frosting hasn’t set after the 20-minute mark, keep chilling and stirring. If your kitchen runs warm, it might take a bit longer to reach that soft, spreadable, fudge-like consistency.
Yes. This cake and frosting keep extremely well, and the flavor deepens over time. Bake it a day in advance and store under a cake dome at room temperature for best results.
