Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Djuna

28 Apr 2020
Dear mang’Oh family,
We have a sweet offering from our teacher Djuna today, please enjoy:
Many of you have heard me share stories about my grandmother. A few weeks ago before class, I shared what I hold to be the most important nugget of wisdom she left me with – chocolate is good for the soul. This was a woman who survived two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Holocaust – she knew what she was talking about. (Maybe don’t put her theory that ice cream has no calories because it melts in your mouth to test.)
A little known fact about me, I love to bake. I find it very meditative and calming. I want to share with you one of my go-to chocolate cake recipes. It is super simple and you likely have all the ingredients already.
Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients:
· 3 cups all purpose flour
· 2 cups white sugar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 teaspoons baking soda
· ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
· ¾ cup olive oil (if you have flavored lemon, orange, and lavender are great options)
· 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
· 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
· 2 cups cold water
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F (175° C)
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
3. Add wet ingredients to bowl and mix well
4. Pour batter into an ungreased 9×13 cake pan (a 9-inch brownie pan works well too)
5. Bake 30-40 minutes (until a tooth pick inserted at the center comes out clean)
I personally enjoy this cake without icing, but feel free top with icing or ganache.
Enjoy! And remember, it’s good for the soul.
Love,
Djuna