Chocolate Celebration Cake (Print version)

Deeply chocolatey olive oil cake with ganache and hazelnut praline—perfect for celebrations.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

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 until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir until just combined.
04 - Slowly add hot coffee while whisking until batter is smooth and thin.
05 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean.
06 - Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan until just simmering, then pour over chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes. Add butter and stir until smooth and glossy. Cool while 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 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 second cake layer and cover top and sides with remaining ganache. Decorate generously with hazelnut praline shards.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The olive oil keeps the cake incredibly moist without any butter, and it stays tender even on day three.
  • Hot coffee deepens the chocolate flavor in a way that feels almost magical, with no coffee taste left behind.
  • Homemade hazelnut praline adds a crunchy, caramelized contrast that makes every bite feel like a celebration.
  • This cake looks like it came from a fancy bakery but comes together with straightforward techniques.
02 -
  • Do not panic when the batter looks too thin after adding the coffee, this is what creates the incredibly moist crumb.
  • Let the ganache cool and thicken before frosting or it will slide right off the cake and pool on the plate.
  • Watch the sugar closely when making praline because it can go from amber to burnt in seconds.
  • Room temperature eggs and milk blend more smoothly and create a more even batter.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure the flour and cocoa for the most consistent results, because spooning and leveling can lead to a dry cake.
  • Let the ganache sit at room temperature and stir every few minutes as it thickens, this patience gives you the perfect spreadable texture.
  • Toast the hazelnuts until fragrant and the skins crack, then rub them in a clean towel to remove most of the skins before making praline.
  • If you are short on time, make the praline a day ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
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