Chocolate Celebration Cake (Printable Version)

Decadent chocolate cake with olive oil, rich ganache, and crunchy hazelnut praline topping.

# What You Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup hot brewed coffee

→ Ganache

12 - 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Hazelnut Praline

15 - 1 cup toasted hazelnuts, skins rubbed off
16 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
17 - Pinch of sea salt

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In another bowl, whisk olive oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir until just combined.
04 - Slowly add hot brewed coffee while whisking until batter is smooth and thin.
05 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Place finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering, then pour over chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes. Add butter and stir until smooth and glossy. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened to spreading consistency.
08 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat, swirling until melted and amber in color. Remove from heat, stir in toasted hazelnuts and salt, then quickly spread onto prepared sheet. Cool completely, then break into shards or chop coarsely.
09 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with one-third of the ganache. Top with the second cake layer and cover top and sides with remaining ganache. Decorate generously with hazelnut praline shards.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The olive oil keeps the cake moist for days, so you can bake it ahead without worry.
  • Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor in a way cocoa powder alone never could.
  • Hazelnut praline adds a sophisticated crunch that makes every bite feel special.
  • It looks impressive but comes together with straightforward steps and no fancy equipment.
02 -
  • Let the cakes cool completely before frosting or the ganache will melt and slide off.
  • Don't rush the caramel, if you pull it off the heat too early it won't harden into praline.
  • Room temperature eggs and milk are essential, cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize or turn lumpy.
03 -
  • Brew strong coffee for this, weak coffee won't amplify the chocolate the way it should.
  • Chill the ganache for 10 minutes if it's too runny, then whip it lightly with a whisk to thicken it up fast.
  • Press praline shards into the sides of the cake while the ganache is still tacky so they stick without sliding off.
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