Chocolate

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Pine Nuts

by:
January 27, 2010
4.7
3 Ratings
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Pine Nuts
  • Serves 12
Author Notes

Not too sweet, this cake is equally nice for breakfast with a cup of coffee and an orange, or after dinner with a dollop of heavy whipped cream and a glass of cognac. —Jennifer Ann

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Dutch process cocoa (unsweetened), divided
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3/4 cup pine nuts, divided
  • 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
  • powdered sugar, for dusting the cake (optional)
Directions
  1. preheat oven to 350; brush a 9" springform pan with olive oil, and dust with about 1-2 teaspoons of cocoa powder
  2. mix together remaining cocoa powder, water, and extracts to form a thick chocolaty paste; set aside
  3. mix together flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside
  4. in a large bowl of a mixer on medium low speed, blend together eggs, sugars and olive oil; add cocoa paste, and beat until combined; stir in flour mixture until smooth; add 2/3 cup of pine nuts and ricotta; pour into prepared pan, sprinkle with remaining small handful of pine nuts, and pop in the oven for about 35 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean; cool, then dust with powdered sugar (if desired) just before serving
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  • KathMo
    KathMo
  • shayma
    shayma
  • monkeymom
    monkeymom
  • Jennifer Ann
    Jennifer Ann
  • Kelsey Banfield
    Kelsey Banfield

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15 Reviews

Alexmac
Alexmac March 14, 2022
Very good. I wish I read the other reviews first. The cake took 55 minutes to bake. I covered it with foil towards the end to stop the cake from drying out at the edges.
I added pistachios instead of pine nuts. The cake is perfect, not too sweet.
 
Emily D.
Emily D. September 30, 2019
This cake was delicious. I added some chocolate chips to the batter and cut back the pine nuts a bit, there were a lot. It took a little longer to bake than instructed. Very good chocolate fllavor, but not too sweet and the texture was lovely.
 
KathMo
KathMo October 15, 2017
Made half the recipe, baked it in a loaf pan (about the same amount of time) and it came out just great.
 
Diane
Diane September 28, 2017
I just mixed this cake up and the batter was wonderful. But it's been baking for 45 mins and still is not done. I think it'll probably take an hour. Has anyone else made this cake? And how long did you bake if for??
 
clintonhillbilly
clintonhillbilly July 26, 2012
Question -- for some reason the ask a question isn't working on my computer -- I thought dutch process cocoa reacts with baking powder, not baking soda because it is alkalized? Is it supposed to be baking powder?
 
shayma
shayma February 6, 2010
Jennifer Ann, this is gorgeous. I agree with Antonia James. x
 
monkeymom
monkeymom February 5, 2010
Is the cake in your beautiful picture glazed? It looks so shiny and lovely. I love the ingredients in this.
 
Jennifer A.
Jennifer A. February 6, 2010
Thanks monkeymom! No glaze required. The cake itself is actually pretty shiny on top, although the light I had hanging over the cake in the photo may have enhanced the gloss of it a bit.
 
Jennifer A.
Jennifer A. February 3, 2010
Thank you for the nice comments!
 
Kelsey B.
Kelsey B. January 29, 2010
I love the olive oil cake with chocolate the pine nuts, it really does have an Italian flair. And for breakfast? Yes, please!
 
mrslarkin
mrslarkin January 28, 2010
Breakfast sounds real good!
 
EmilyNunn
EmilyNunn January 28, 2010
Ditto. Really lovely.
 
Loves F.
Loves F. January 27, 2010
Yum!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames January 27, 2010
Simply wonderful. Sort of Italian, with the olive oil, the ricotta and the pine nuts . . . . very nice, like all of your recipes. ;o)
 
Jennifer A.
Jennifer A. January 28, 2010
What a nice thing to read so early in the morning! Thank you, AntoniaJames.