This chocolate olive oil loaf cake has a slight hint of fruitiness. It is finished with a rich chocolate glaze, making this one delicious cake that is sure to have everyone coming back for more.

I’ve heard and read about olive oil cakes for years, and since we’ve been switching to using olive oil more than other oils, I decided it was time to bake with it.

This chocolate olive oil loaf cake was the perfect place to start. It’s rich and decadent and unbelievably moist. And the chocolate glaze on top will have you coming back for another slice!

spooning chocolate glaze over a loaf of bread

About this Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake Recipe:

Flavor: Of course this cake has a decadently rich chocolate flavor as it looks like it should. But you’ll also get a hint of fruitiness thanks to the olive oil in the cake.
Texture: The cake batter will be thin, but that is what leads to this ultra moist cake. It’s smooth and tender.

Is olive oil cake healthier than regular cake?

There are not any less calories or grams of fat in olive oil cake than there is in regular cake. However, olive oil is heart healthy so it does have that benefit. If you want to lower calories, you could use monk fruit in place of the sugar.

ingredients for chocolate olive oil loaf cake on a table

What olive oil is best to use for baking?

Use a high quality extra-virgin olive oil for the best flavor. If you’re concerned about the taste, use a mild flavored olive oil.

How to Make Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line an 8 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch loaf tin with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Dry ingredients. Add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.

eggs, olive oil and vanilla in a mixing bowl

Wet ingredients. Add to a smaller mixing bowl the olive oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Combine. Pour the olive oil mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Pour in the boiling water and quickly whisk until well combined. The batter will be thin. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Bake. Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until cooked through. The cake is cooked through when it springs back when lightly touched in the center. A skewer or toothpick can also be inserted into the center of the cake and should come out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the loaf pan.
Glaze. Mix together in a small bowl the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and enough milk to make a glaze of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

3 slices of chocolate olive oil loaf cake on a plate

Storage Instructions

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 24 hours.
Refrigerator: Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Freezer: Freeze the cake whole or sliced in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

Chocolate Olive Oil Loaf Cake

4.73 from 65 votes

This cake is moist and chocolatey with a slight hint of fruitiness from the olive oil. It is finished with a rich chocolate glaze, making this one delicious cake that is sure to have everyone coming back for more.

Servings 10

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

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Ingredients

For the cake:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 195 grams
1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
1/2 cup cocoa powder 60 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil 4 ounces
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water 8 ounces
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar 84 grams
1/4 cup cocoa powder 30 grams
2-3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line an 8 ½ inch x 4 ½ inch loaf tin with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Add the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
Add to a smaller mixing bowl the olive oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.
Pour the olive oil mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Pour in the boiling water and quickly whisk until well combined. The batter will be thin.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes, or until cooked through. The cake is cooked through when it springs back when lightly touched in the center. A skewer or toothpick can also be inserted into the center of the cake and should come out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the loaf pan.
To make the glaze, mix together in a small bowl the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and enough milk to make a glaze of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before eating.

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 10 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**