Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake

Tags: #dessert #baking #dairy-free
Servings: 8
Total time: 90 minutes

A one-bowl, dairy-free chocolate snack cake powered by Dutch-process cocoa, coffee, olive oil, and whole wheat flour.

Ingredients

• 115g brown sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 2g salt
• 5g baking soda
• 130g olive oil
• 115g brewed black coffee (3g instant or strong black tea)
• 2 large eggs (about 100g), cold is fine
• 10g vanilla extract
• 70g whole wheat flour
• Optional: powdered sugar and/or fresh fruit, for serving

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) with a rack in the lower-middle position.
2. Line an 8-inch (20cm) round, 3-inch (7.5cm) tall anodized aluminum cake pan with a parchment round, then lightly grease the pan.
3. Whisk brown sugar, Dutch cocoa, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl until evenly mixed (a few brown-sugar lumps are fine).
4. Whisk in olive oil, coffee, eggs, and vanilla until the batter looks smooth and emulsified (no oily streaks).
5. Whisk in whole wheat flour just until no dry pockets remain.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake until the cake is puffed and firm but still yields slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes (a toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs).
8. Cool in the pan for 60 minutes.
9. Loosen the edges with a thin knife, invert onto a rack or plate, peel off parchment, then flip right-side up.
10. Serve as-is, or dust with powdered sugar and/or top with fresh fruit.

Notes

• Cocoa matters here: because the chocolate flavor comes entirely from Dutch-process cocoa, use a rich, high-fat brand (avoid low-fat supermarket cocoa or natural/Dutch blends).
• Pan note: an 8 x 2-inch pan works too; expect a higher dome.

Make-Ahead and Storage

• Wrap airtight and store at cool room temperature for 2–3 days.