A dark, moist chocolate bundt cake made with olive oil, covered with a silky, rich chocolate ganache. The cake batter is easy to make, and includes a bit of coffee and nutty rye flour.
4oz (120g)dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used a 72% chocolate bar)
¼cup (60g)sour cream, full fat
1Tbsp port wine (or coffee or more cream)
⅛teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE
Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C, Gas Mark 4).
Grease a 10 cup bundt pan meticulously with softened butter (I use a small pastry brush) and coat interior (also meticulously – this is a theme with bundt pan preparation) with cocoa powder. It's easiest just to sprinkle in some cocoa powder with a sieve, and then hold the bundt pan at an angle while carefully turning it. This helps the cocoa fall into all the crevices of the pan. I do this over the sink so that I can easily rinse spills away.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well and add coffee (or water) and whisk to combine. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well between additions to ensure they are fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients and whisk again. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain. Add sour cream and vanilla, and whisk until completely blended and batter is smooth.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Rap pan firmly on countertop several times to remove air bubbles that may have formed in batter. Place bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool bundt on a baking rack for 10-15 minutes, then place a cake platter on top of bundt pan and flip over. Let it sit for a minute or two, if you can stand it. Gently, carefully remove the pan. Cake must cool completely before adding glaze.
DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
In a one quart pot, heat cream until almost simmering. Remove from heat and add finely chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, and then gently whisk until all chocolate has melted and no lumps remain.
Add sour cream, port, salt and vanilla, and whisk again. Mixture should be warm enough to ensure a smooth pour (See recipe notes in post for details and tips). Reheat very minimally over double boiler if needed, stirring frequently.
Once bundt cake has cooled completely on cake platter, drizzle the dark chocolate ganache glaze over the top of the cake. Use a slow side to side motion as you pour to help guide the glaze around the cake evenly. Let glaze set for an hour or two. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Notes
The recipe for this chocolate olive oil bundt cake is loosely adapted from a chocolate bundt cake recipe from Aysegul Sanford of Foolproof Living. The ganache is an adaptation of Alanna Taylor-Tobin's from The Bojon Gourmet, using sour cream and port in place of creme fraiche and whiskey. Thanks to both of these talented women for their inspiration.