Vegan chocolate olive oil cake

This vegan chocolate olive oil cake has been made three times in my kitchen, once I didn't taste it and the first time I wrote it up I deleted the post.  But I really liked it so I want to share it.  After all it is not every day I have the opportunity to decorate a cake with flowers.

The first time I made it, I caused Sylvia to get vegemite in her ear when I ground the almonds in the blender.  (Turns out it is not a good idea to stick your fingers in your ear when eating vegemite on toast).  More significant to the recipe, I found the mixture really runny when I poured it into the tin.  I found I had not put in enough ground almonds but as I didn't have any more, I added psyllium husks.  Argh.  I deleted the post with the recipe but I think I used 1 1/2 cups of almonds and a cup of psyllium husks.

I really liked the texture and flavour the first time.  It was uniced and had a slightly nubble edge.  I enjoyed that it was only slightly sweet with maple syrup.  The second time I used honey as I was making it for my niece's birthday party.  I found the honey really really sweet in the mixture and the icing not quite right.  I didn't attend but was told it was eaten quickly.

The next time I made the cake was when I had some flowers from the farmers market.  I wanted a canvas and wanted to try this cake again.  It was good but not as good as the first time.  Hence I have recommended in the recipe that you try the method I used the first time which was to whisk the aqua faba and to add the aqua faba just before you bake.  Maybe this was why it was lovely texture the first time and slightly rubbery on my second tasting.  Mind you I still enjoyed it the second time.

If I had time I would make it again but three times is more that I usually make a recipe before posting.  I have also gotten paranoid and recommended only 1/2 cup of psyllium husks rather than 1 cup.  In fact you could substitute almond meal for it if you want.  I also wanted to try it with some potato starch substitute for the psyllium husks as I saw someone say it worked well in gluten free cakes.  And I apologise that my detail of how I made the cake went out the window when I accidentally deleted the post.  So I really need to make it again.  One day...

I have presented the cake differently each time I have made it.  The first time I did not ice it at all.  The second time I tried a chocolate frosting made of chocolate and butter (a bit like this).  It was really thick and hard to spread once it started to spread or hard to spread when it was too warm.  The third time I melted a very dark chocolate and mixed in coconut cream and a little maple syrup.  I really liked it, though it was slightly grainy.  My mum found it not sweet enough.

So there you have some experiments with a lovely dense vegan and gluten free chocolate cake that has great potential.  I hope to make it again but right now I feel I have asked as many questions as I have answered.  And of course if you have flowers to spare for decorating a cake, then this one will do you proud.

I am sharing this post with Healthy Vegan Fridays and Gluten Free Fridays.

More vegan chocolate cakes on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
Chocolate banana swiss roll (v)
Coconut and chocolate chunk cake (v)
Vegan chocolate (layer) cake (v) 
Vegan chocolate spice cake (v)
Zucchini brownie with smoked walnuts (v)

Chocolate olive oil cake
Adapted from Teresa Cutler at The Healthy Chef

2 cups almond meal*
1/2 cup psyllium husks*
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon bicarb (baking soda)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
9 tbsp aqua faba (chickpea brine)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup maple syrup

Grease and line a round 20cm cake tin.  Preheat oven to 160 C.

Mix the almond meal, cocoa, bicarb and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.  Give aqua faba a good hand whisk so it is bubbly in a large jug.  Stir in the oil, milk and maple syrup.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and then mix in psyllium husks just before baking.

Bake for 45-60 minutes.  It is ok for the middle to be slightly fudgy but the edges and top should be dried and cooked.  Cool on a an airtight try.  Frost if desired.  (I liked a combination of melted chocolate and coconut cream.)

*NOTES: I am sure this would work with all almond meal if you don't have psyllium husks.  I think that it would be interesting to put in some potato starch but haven't had time to test that.

On the Stereo:
Ruby: Killjoys

This post is part of the Vegan Month of Food (Vegan MoFo) in November 2016.  Go to my Vegan MoFo list for more of my 2016 Vegan MoFo posts. 

Week 1 is Treat Yourself (I am extending Week 1 slightly as I started it late!)