Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Warm Chocolate Frosting
My most popular dessert recipe, but in chocolate form (and if I'm being honest, I think I like this version even more).
Almost four years ago, I set out to recreate the incredible and iconic olive oil cake from Tulie Bakery in Salt Lake City.
I have consumed this cake countless times over the years, and I love a good challenge.
I tested more iterations of the recipe than I could count.
I even went as far as purchasing a slice or two and bringing them home so I could compare side by side.
My goal was to replicate the Tulie Bakery cake as closely as possible, with its substantially moist crumb, pronounced citrus-infused olive oil flavor, and toasty brown butter buttercream.
This was food research at its finest.
When I finally published the recipe in 2021, I thought a few would enjoy it, but had no clue how many multitudes (truly) would make and enjoy this recipe.
Here are a few of my favorite reviews from over the years:
I came across your recipe on Instagram. I’ve never had an olive cake so I was intrigued. I made it on a whim and I was worried that my family wouldn’t like it. But they LOVED it. It’s amazing! I love the brightness that the orange zest and lemon juice and zest add to the cake – it’s the perfect spring/summer dessert. The olive oil makes the cake incredibly moist. I was a little nervous when browning the butter for the frosting but it turned out great. Definitely have to trust the process if you haven’t made it before. This recipe didn’t disappoint. Thank you for sharing it! -Amy
It’s received praise from countless Gluten-Free bakers…
This cake is delicious. It is so light and moist, but a decadent experience. The browned butter frosting is some of the best frosting I have had. The recipe is easy to follow and just turns out great. I made it with my mom and she loved the frosting because it reminded her of childhood and the frosting her mom used to make. We used a gluten-free flour 1:1 and it worked great. -Elizabeth
And my favorite review EVER, which was shared on a viral Instagram reel:
I just made this, first time making and trying an olive oil cake, I wish Instagram allowed photo comments because it’s the best thing I’ve ever made besides my children and I’m so proud of it. -@leahbobeameow
All this to say that when a reader suggested earlier this year that I make a CHOCOLATE version of the olive oil cake, it was a no-brainer (reader, are you here on The Foodletter?!).
Thankfully, this recipe took only three rounds (instead of nearly a dozen) to perfect, but I’m beyond pleased with the result.
Three things I love about this cake:
It’s incredibly easy to make. Similar to the olive oil cake, the batter is whipped together effortlessly and is in the oven in minutes. The brown butter buttercream on the OG recipe takes a little bit of fitness, but this warm chocolate frosting you can (almost) make while blindfolded.
If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll love the marriage between two of the best flavors of all time—chocolate and extra virgin olive oil. Where the olive oil flavor is very pronounced in our original recipe, this version has a little more subtlety. It’s there, but it doesn’t compete with the decadence of the rest of the cake.
The combo of the ultra-moist, chocolatey cake with the warm chocolate frosting is seriously to die for. It isn’t a traditional buttercream where you’re whipping the frosting into beautiful peaks, but rather it’s a velvety blanket of Texas sheet cake-like frosting that melts in your mouth and pairs SO well with toppings that have texture like chopped nuts, miniature chocolate chips, or (my fav) non-pareil sprinkles.
So here it is, my chocolate version of my most popular dessert recipe. And if I’m being honest, I think I like this version even better. Yep, I said it.
9-inch springform pan