Chocolate-Orange-Olive Oil Cake

     I just ate this... right after I finished taking photos, I sat down and devoured it.  And what I found was, this Chocolate-Orange Olive Oil Cake made with almond flour, is even better the second day!  That's because all of the zested orange added to the batter has additional time to infuse the baked cake.  And for me, there has never been a more delicious combination than chocolate and orange.
     I've recently baked several breads and cakes with almond flour exclusively (no wheat flour added) and with some of them, I have run into trouble when using the oven temperatures and baking times that are called for in the recipes.  This cake was no exception.  In the recipe below, I show my adjusted time and temp.  I recommend observing your cake closely towards the last 15 minutes of baking and testing frequently with a skewer for doneness.  Ovens vary and pan size can also change the cooking time.

• adapted recipe | Mary Luz Mejia

• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 1 1/4 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 3/4 cups fine almond meal/flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 2/3 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra oil for greasing pan
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• Zest of 2 large or 3 small organic oranges
• 3 large eggs
• Whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche, for serving
• Candied orange rind, for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F. 
2.  Grease an 8 1/2-inch to 9-inch springform pan with olive oil and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
3.  Combine the cocoa and chopped chocolate in a bowl.  Bring the whole milk to a boil and add to the chocolate, whisking until smooth.  Stir in the vanilla bean seeds; set aside.
4.  In a medium bowl, combine the almond meal/flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5.  Place the sugar, olive oil, orange juice, zest and eggs in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  Beat until the mixture is smooth and thick.  Scrape the cocoa mixture into the egg mixture and beat until combined.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of bowl if necessary.
6.  Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake for 40 minutes.  To test doneness, use a wooden skewer to pierce into the center of the cake.  If there is moist batter or crumbs on the skewer when removed, continue to bake until the skewer tests dry, possibly another 15 minutes.  (I baked my cake for 40 minutes, then turned on the convection for an additional 15 minutes before my cake was done.  Adjust accordingly to your oven and pan size). 
7.  Remove cake and cool for 10 minutes before running a thin knife around the edges and removing the ring.  Serve with whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche and top with a slice of candied orange rind.
 

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