We all know chocolate, espresso and chipotle go together when we are making a great pot of Mexican inspired chili. But what happens when you combine those flavors in a delicious chocolate dessert? That’s what I wanted to find out. In this chocolate chipotle olive oil cake, I use the best possible ingredients to create the most amazing and moist cake. Topped with a little whipped cream (or a lot), some pistachios for crunch and decadent shavings of dark chocolate resulted in an incredible bite. You are going to want to try this.
Note, you aren’t going to get a hot or spicy bite. There is more of a warmth in the background that is really irresistible. The addition of the cool and creamy whipped cream and the slight crunch from the nuts and that finish of flaky salt is sooooooo good.
Sift your chocolate into a bowl. I use Valhrona Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. I find it has a rich, chocolately flavor and it is known to be one of the best. However, if you have a favorite unsweetned cocoa powder you want to use, go right ahead. Add in the espresso powder and then whisk in the boiling water. Whisk until it is very smooth. Add the vanilla and the specialty espresso dark balsamic vinegar. Whisk. If you don’t have the vinegar, just omit it. This is a flavor booster that I love but you can make the cake without it.
In a separate bowl, you’ll want to combine the remaining dry ingredients. (Flour, baking soda and salt.)
Pull out your stand mixer and fit it with the whisk attachment. Beat the egss, super fine sugar* and both olive oils until you’ve got a light and fluffy mixture.
Two notes here: If you don’t have super fine sugar in the house, make your own. Simple add regular granulated sugar to your food processor and pulse a few times or put the sugar in the blender and blend for 20-30 seconds. It is that easy.
I love Patricia and Paul’s Chipotle Olive Oil in this recipe. It is smooth with just the right amount of heat. I recommend buying it for this recipe and several others I’ve used it in. (see below). But, if you don’t have it, use 3/4 Cup of plain olive oil and mix in 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of chipotle powder/seasoning. That will work fine.
Next, turn the stand mixer’s speed to low and add that cocoa and vanilla, vinegar mixture. Once combined, start adding the flour mixture in three parts, mixing until fully incorporated between each addition. Stop periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing.
If you are looking for recipes that use the dark espresso balsamic vinegar and/or the chipotle olive oil, check out these recipes:
Chocolate, Espresso and Cream Shake
Also, be sure to try some of my other olive oil cake recipes (I do love them!): Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Balsamic Raspberries and Orange Olive Oil Cake with Orange Glaze
Chocolate Chipotle Olive Oil Cake
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Patricia and Paul Chipotle Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Valrhona unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ Cup Boiling water
- 1 Tbsp. Espresso powder
- 1 Tbsp. Pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. Patricia and Paul Espresso Balsamic Vinegar
- 1⅓ Cups All-purpose flour
- ½ Tsp. Baking soda
- 1 Tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 Cup Super fine sugar *see notes in recipe
- 3 Large Eggs
- Flaky salt (Maldon is a favorite)
Whipped cream:
- ½ Cup Heavy cream
- 1 Tsp. Confectioners sugar
For serving:
- ½ Cup Pistachios, chopped
- Shaved dark chocolate to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform baking pan with a little olive oil or cooking spray and line the base with parchment paper.
- Sift the cocoa into a medium bowl, add the espresso powder and whisk in the boiling water until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and vinegar, then set aside to cool slightly. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, olive oils, and eggs until you have a light, fluffy cream, about 3 minutes. *If you don’t have super fine sugar, you can add regular sugar to a blender or food processor and blend for about 5 seconds and you are good to go.
- Turn the speed on the mixer to low and pour in the cocoa and vanilla mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture until it is completely incorporated, stopping the mixer and using a spatula, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sides are set and the top of the cake still looks slightly moist. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and it should come out clean. If not, let it bake another two minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, in a chilled metal or glass bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Run a knife around the edge of the cake and release the sides of the pan. Transfer the cake to a serving plate or cake stand. Sprinkle with more flaky salt. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of the chopped pistachios and some shaved dark chocolate.
