Dark Damp Divine

Yet one more reason I'm wearing elastic pants. If you're looking to drown your sorrows, impress your hubs or accommodate your gluten-free best friend, look no further. This is it. 

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
A Nigella Lawson recipe

Preheat oven to 325. Serves 8 so they say. I don't know 8 people who would want such a small piece, but go for it if you're so inclined.

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Olive Oil plus more for oiling one 9 inch cake or springform pan. 
6 Tblsps unsweetened cocoa powder sifted*
1/2 Cup boiling water
2 teas vanilla extract*
1.5 cups almond flour**
1/2 teas baking soda
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
3 Eggs
Powdered Sugar for top

Grease pan with olive oil or use one of those cans of flour/oil for bakers. Works better I think and you can usually find it right next to the PAM at the grocery.

Sift cocoa powder in a small bowl then whisk in the boiling water and vanilla. It will be runny.

In another smallish bowl combine the almond flour with the baking soda and salt.

Put sugar, olive oil and eggs into a mixing bowl and beat the crap out of it till it's a lovely yellow, thickened creaminess, 3-4 minutes. Turn the mixer down from "beat the crap out it" speed to "lovingly blend" speed and add the chocolate mixture. Then tip in the flour mixture. Mix till its combined, scraping down the sides if you need to. 

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Till a toothpick comes out mainly clean but with a bit of sticky chocolate still attached. 

Let cool on wire rack for ten minutes then run a butter knife around the edges and either spring it out of your springform pan or with a plate held firmly atop, flip it over onto the plate. Alternatively, if you're in a deep depression and just want to eat the damn cake, leave it in the pan. Who cares? Sift a little powder sugar over the top just for kicks. This is a damp cake, it will sink a bit in the center. It's art. It's supposed to look that way.

*Get the best quality cocoa and vanilla you can afford. It makes a difference
**If you prefer, you can make this cake with 3/4 cup plus 1 Tblsp all-purpose flour instead of the almond flour. I buy almond flour at Trader Joes. You're already making a cake from scratch for Christ's sake. You shouldn't have to grind your own almonds. What's next? Butter churning?

No one is stopping you from accessorizing this beauty with a little Framboise or other red fruited desert wine. We drank cherry. Heavenly. A chocolate covered cherry in the best most sophisticated sense.

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