Set out to make a cake made with olive oil to see what it would taste like. One bowl. No eggs. No dairy. Vegan. [Ed. note: Vegan? Chocolate cake? Is this allowed?] Why yes! Yes it is. In fact, because of the olive oil it's so incredibly moist, with a deep dark-chocolate flavor, it made me swoon. [Ed. note: Taking notes.]
This has been called a Wacky cake or Depression Cake (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_cake), as during those years milk, sugar, butter and eggs were either expensive or scarce. Now my love of cake-making with oil instead of butter runs deep. I have baked many a cake with grapeseed or canola oils (both flavorless), but this was my first foray into using olive oil. The result is a far more moist dessert that keeps exceptionally well. Deb of Smitten Kitchen says, "On day four in the fridge, ours was as moist as day one, basically a miracle." Using olive oil, for some strange reason, just never seemed right. I think of olive oil as being savory, but I was wrong. It truly works here. NOTES:
Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen Number of Servings; 8-12 Ingredients Cake
Directions Cake
6 Comments
Julie Anne Steiner
3/16/2019 04:20:57 am
Looks scrumptious! (psssst, I bet it travels well)
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Jacqueline Steiner
3/16/2019 11:35:51 am
Have cake, will travel!!!! I will mail it to you! xoxo
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Sandra Coalman
5/4/2019 12:26:37 pm
Jaquie, haven't tried this delicious looking cake yet. I am familiar with the Wacky cake recipe. It was in my first 4H cookbook which had been written during WW2 when we still had rationing on sugar, butter, and eggs. But it did not stop the good cooks from baking cakes and cookies!! My mother used shortening made of vegetable oil colored with a packet of yellow dye. the end product looked just like butter. Ha Ha, we've come a long ways baby!!
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Jacqueline Steiner
5/4/2019 05:29:09 pm
Sandra-it's amazing how delicious it is without butter, eggs or dairy. Personally, I think cakes made with oil are very moist, so I really like them the best. I had heard of wacky cakes and depression cakes too. This one is a good one. You really taste the chocolate! Love you!
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Lin
1/4/2021 09:59:20 am
Can I use a oat or rice flour substitute?...I don't use wheat...thank u
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Jacqueline Steiner
1/4/2021 10:31:06 am
Hi Lin--I have not tried this recipe with oat or rice flour. If you experiment and try it with a flour substitute, please report back and let me know how it was. Thank you and happy new year!
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AuthorI'm Jacquie, personal chef & recipe developer in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Lover of books, bourbon, chocolate and movies. Archives
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