By Maria Koutsogiannis - FoodByMaria

Is it a brownie? Is it a cake? Does it even matter? This chocolate brownie olive oil bundt cake is pure decadence and the perfect vegan indulgence. I used Ancient Foods Keros Olive Oil instead of butter in this recipe which gives it a rich texture—you won’t believe isn’t full of dairy milk, eggs or butter! If you have made a vegan cake before don’t worry, I promise this cake is just as easy as it’s dairy counterparts but it’s better for you and will be one of the best chocolate cakes you’ve ever had. Yes, I know it’s a tall order but this bundt cake beauty definitely lives up to the hype.

BEAUTY AND THE BUNDT

There is actually no singular “bundt pan recipe” that you have to use, any cake recipe should work just fine. A bundt cake is unique because of the bundt pan itself and the signature hole in the middle. This pan shape creates a larger surface area for the cake batter and so your cake bakes more evenly. I decided to use a bundt pan for this recipe because of the beautiful shape and because this cake is so good on its own you don’t have to fully frost it. After it cooled I popped it out of the pan and decided to garnish it with fresh raspberries and a simple chocolate glaze. You can definitely get creative here and finish this cake with your favourite chocolate pairing or seasonal fruit. Or if you want to take it to the next level you can add a glaze or make my chocolate dipping sauce. You really can’t go wrong— it’s chocolate cake! 

BAKING WITH OLIVE OIL

I’m not one to make healthy substitutions just for the sake of being healthy and I will not sacrifice flavour or texture to cut back on calories. I made this cake with olive oil over butter because olive oil was truly the best ingredient for the job! Not only will olive oil keep your cake super moist but it is also considered a “good fat” and will add a boost of vitamin E and antioxidants to your baked goods— hooray!

PICKING THE RIGHT OLIVE OIL

When baking with olive oil it is really important to use one that is high-quality and extra virgin. Otherwise you risk a flavour you don’t particularly like coming through in your baking instead of highlighting the other ingredients and letting them shine. A quick rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t use the olive oil to dip bread in or drizzle over your cooking then it probably isn’t good enough to bake with. That’s why I chose to use Ancient Foods Keros Olive Oil. It gives this cake a fudgy texture and really amplifies the cocoa and cacao in it. I’ve used this olive oil before for its taste, flavour, and quality in some of my other recipes and I am such a fan:

• Plant Based Greek Platter Drizzled in Olive Oil
• Plant Based Greek Moussaka