Crazy Italian chocolate cake (egg free chocolate cake)
The amazing egg-free chocolate cake that’s also dairy-free and takes under 10 minutes.
This incredible cake defies belief. It’s based on a recipe I was served up by an Italian family for my birthday dinner when I was in Tuscany – I fell in love! It’s one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had – made with gorgeous Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar (don’t worry, you can’t taste it). It’s sensationally decadent, moist and fudgy. The cake is egg free, dairy-free and takes under 10 minutes to prepare. It’s my go-to when I need something delicious, on the double.
The icing I’ve made here uses butter, but I’ve included options for a dairy-free version (you will find with some brands their 50% cocoa dark chocolate is dairy-free). I’ve also tried making the cake with plain gluten-free flour mix and it’s still lovely.
And it’s also beautiful as a dessert, served warm straight from the tin with lashings of ice cream. For a larger ‘special occasion’ cake, make two cakes with two lots of the mixture and sandwich them together with extra icing.
Prep time – 5 minutes
Cooking time – 50 minutes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 ½ cups standard flour (or gluten-free flour mix without raising agent)
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup dark, good-quality baking cocoa (look for ‘dark’ on the label for best results)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or rice bran or grape seed or sunflower)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or white, malt or apple cider vinegar)
2-3 tsp pure vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups water (or cooled coffee)
Chocolate icing
150g chopped dark chocolate
(50% cocoa solids – use dairy-free if needed)
125g butter (or 150ml coconut cream)
1 tbsp olive oil, grape seed oil or rice bran oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 160c regular bake.
Grease a 20-22cm cake tin and dust all over with cocoa (make sure the tin isn’t too big or the cake will be a little flat). Or, just plonk a piece of baking paper in (that’s what I do now). If your tin is too big, it won’t rise properly.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine evenly. Make a large well in the centre.
Pour the olive oil, vinegar, vanilla and water into the well. Using the whisk, start in the middle and stir the mixture GENTLY in a circular motion until the mixture is combined to a smooth batter – don’t worry if there a few small lumps, these will disappear in the oven. Don’t go crazy or you’ll flatten all the bubbles.
Bake just below the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven.
If you’re going to serve it as a cake, let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack. You can either dust with icing sugar to serve or ice it when cool (see below).
For a delicious pudding, dust with icing sugar and serve straight hot, straight from the tin, with ice cream.
The cake keeps in an airtight container for about 4 days (if it actually lasts that long I’ll be surprised).
Chocolate icing
Place the chopped chocolate and butter (or coconut cream) in heatproof bowl, then set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl). Stir until melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan stir in the oil.
Leave to cool at room temperature until it’s thick enough to spread on the cake. If you try and speed it up by putting it in the fridge, keep an eye on it as it will need stirring often.
Always use this recipe when making Birthday cakes. Everyone loves it!! Although I do suggest swapping out the water/coffee with beer or even adding 1 cup water and 1/2cup of rum or whiskey ;)
wow! x
We love this cake! I’d like to make it as an option at my son’s party. We have guests coming who are both egg free and gluten free. Can I do a straight substitution with gluten free flour or do I need to adjust quantities?
Yes it should be fine!
I’m going to try this for my daughters birthday coming up. But I need it covered in a white icing. Could you replace the dark chichi for white? Or would a simple white buttercream frosting work better?
*chocolate
I’d probably just go buttercream.
Best chocolate cake ever! So fluffy & moist! Made it yesterday for my boyfriend – he can’t have eggs. I didn’t have caster sugar so used unrefined muscavado sugar and the result was perfect. Topped with chocolate ganache for extra richness. Thank you!!
Hello Chelsea,
Lovely recipe thank you, however one negative comment from my prospective is the strong overpowering
Flavor of Extra Virgin Oil. Would Virgin or Lite work as well??
If you’re not a fan, I’d use grapeseed oil instead. Light and extra light olive oils are not good.
Would this be ok in 26cm round tin? Wanting make a 20cm round cake and a slightly wider one to stack for a birthday cake! X
I’d probably double the recipe for a bigger tin.
Delicious, best chocolate cake recipe I’ve made.
This case is amazing! As easy as you promised it would be and so damn delicious. I only had a little caster sugar so had to use mostly brown sugar but it turned out great – moist and light and dark. It’s so rich and moist that just a dusting of icing sugar and some cream on the side was enough of an accompaniment. Once again a foolproof recipe from you. Love how you give lots of detail on the technique to use.
This sounds amazing as all your recipes do! Would using coconut flour alter the texture or rising of the cake at all?
Thanks
Yes it would x
Great recipe I’ve been using the Same one for the last 13 years except your icing sounds spot nicer than mine. Can’t wait to make it this weekend.
Looking forward to trying this recipe for cupcakes. Any idea how many cupcakes could be made with the recipe as listed? I need to make 30 and will probably double the quantities…thanks!
made this cake today using GF flour for the first time, but its has sunk in the middle and is very sticky on the outside. I did use a skewer to test it was cooked and it came out clean. Wondering if I need to use less liquid or more GF flour. Your comments would be appreciated. Thnak you
It sounds like there was either too much raising agent or it was undercooked – could it be that the oven wasn’t quite hot enough or the door was opened early?
Hi Chelsea! Since coming across your recipe ( on pintrest I think ), Ive made it maybe 20 times. It is a very moist and tasty cake and very easy! I prefer to make my icing using icing sugar ,cocoa, melted butter and hot water. Loving your recipes, keep them coming, thankyou !!!!!
Delicious recipe, am planning on making it again for a birthday cake but would like it larger so thinking of doubling the recipe, wold this work, and how long would I cook it for then?
I made this for a birthday cake. Was yummy!!! Wanna make it again.
Hi Chelsea!
Am I able to turn this into a Red Velvet cake by adding red food colouring? I usually use really dark cocoa so would this be too dark to show the red?
Thanks so much! :)
Brooke
I don’t reckon it would work sorry! But you could try..
This the first Chelsea Winter recipe I’ve tried and it is ah-may-zing!!
I make it with my 2 year old and as there are no eggs I’m happy to let him try the batter.
Thanks Chelsea, can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Hi, I posted a comment on the weekend but it seems to have been deleted. Not sure why :-( – it was showing for two days and today it has vanished. Trying again. I am doing a cake decorating lesson and need to take a firm, high cake. Would this work, do you think? Without the frosting naturally, as we are I think doing fondant icing. Thanks – hoping to get a reply this time!
You might need to double the recipe if you want it to be high? And cook for an hour in a larger tin :)
Hi, this sounds so divine! I need to make a cake for a cake decorating lesson, the cake needs to be fairly high and firm and will be fondant iced. Is this cake (without the icing) a good candidate do you think?
Could I use. Town sugar instead of caster? It’s all I have in pantry
Yes you could.
Hi
This cake is absolutely delicious and a favourite in our house. I am making this cake for a 80th birthday to serve 12 people using a 25cm round tin. Do you think doubling the quantity of ingredients work ok to suit this amount of people and size tin
Thanks
Your help would be greatly appreciated
You can double the quantity but be sure to increase the cooking time x
Thanks for the great recipe. My grandchildren and I mixed this up and made a delicious cake for Poppa’s birthday ( a ‘yuck’ or two about the balsamic vinegar and some cynicism about no eggs or milk). We had to eat our words as it was the yummiest of cakes. Decided not to go the full sugar route with the icing and instead decorated with whipped cream and strawberries. Used some plunger coffe which I think added to the flavour. This will be my chocolate cake of choice in the future! Thanks Chelsea.
Hi Chelsea, can I use whittakers 72% dark Ghana chocolate for the icing? Or will it be too bitter? Thanks :)
It will be pretty bitter – up to you x
This is e most totally awesome cake ever… Never have i had a choc cake or brownie this dang yummy… So easy to make and the guys at work agree totally…. Has made yummy desserts with icecream, cream and fresh berries too…
Trying to make the icing set on a 29 degree day is interesting… Ended uputting it in front of the aircon… Set up nicely after that…
This cake is more than incredible. My wife died a few months ago and I wanted to give the hospice people and hospital staff a little thank you for the care they gave her. This cake filled the bill perfectly. I have just made another 3 of them over the last couple of days and doubled the quantities and used a slightly larger baking dish. Again given them to these tireless people who appreciate a little thank you. I am indebted to you for your incredible recipes and for inspiring old guys like me to really enjoy cooking. Merry Christmas.
Hi
With the icing, wouldnt adding the oil along with the butter make it too oily? Can you add cream instead?
Thanks
The oil makes it shiny :)
Hi there would this cake be good for a gf and df childrens bday cake in a tin mold? Will have to do at least double the recipe but will it hold?
Sorry I can’t say for sure, but probably!
Could this cake be made in 3 layers and stuck together to make a tall cake? Would the icing hold the layers together? Thanks!
Yes! Although you might need a firmer icing for the middle, or even jam.
This is my go to cake for any occasion! I have made it as a 3 tier cake for a couple of birthdays and in a ring tin for a shape cake for my 3 year old. It is always a winner! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe as it has saved me many times!
haha that’s your idea already to sandwich them together! Sorry, wasn’t trying to take credit for it!
This cake is absolutely awesome. Turned out exactly like the picture. I made it on Thursday and it was still delicious yesterday afternoon, Sunday. I made the icing whilst the cake was baking and it had thickened up perfectly to spread over by the time the cake had cooled enough. Top notch recipe and it is now my go-to chocolate cake. I did have an idea that you could bake two and sandwich them together for a yummy death by chocolate cake! Might try that next time! Thanks Chelsea :)
Made this today for a Father’s Day treat. It is so moist and pudding-like. Heaven topped with strawberries and a dollop of cream! Xx
I’ve made this twice and yum! Gluten free turned out fantastic. ..added abit more liquid. I made them in muffin tins. I served then individually dusted with icing sugar and homemade chocolate sauce and salted caramel icecream. My guests raved that it was the best dessert they had ever eaten. Was incredibly delicious!
Woah that’s awesome!
Chelsea
Just made this subbing a little Disaronno for some water..it’s a match made in the heavens! Thank you for a lush recipe..j
Hi Chelsea, can I replace the water with coconut milk?
Yep!
Hi Chelsea, I love this recipe. I made a few nights ago. I tried it with organic whole wheat flour while keeping the rest of the recipe the same. The taste and texture is unbelievable but the cake deflated in the center. Is this normal? Should I change another element of the recipe? Which one? Please help. Thanks, Tiffany
Sounds like it wasn’t cooked properly when you took it out, could that be it?
Made this cake today…took only 40 minutes at 170 deg C in my oven. Was soooooo easy and quick to make. Smelt AMAZING whilst cooking and tasted great! (had to have a sneaky try straight from the oven whilst still warm…Yum!) Nice and moist and rose beautifully. Will eat it for dessert with ice cream and homemade hot chocolate fudge sauce. Really simple and delicious. Will be making this cake A LOT! Thanks Chelsea for another great recipe. You’re a star! :D
Wow such an easy but yummy cake to make, will definitely become my base for birthday cakes from now on. Made it on Thursday and it was still lovely and moist when the kids finished it on Sunday night. Yum!!
My oven is only fan bake, what temp should I set it at?
160c is fine.
What a lovely cake! First time made for a family occasion and it turned out perfect! I used gluten free flour and was still so moist, I did add a little extra oil to the mixture. And to make the icing dairy free, i used dairy free chocolate and olive oil spread dairy free and it turned out perfect! I sandwiched 2 cakes together and put a layer of jam in the middle also. So quick and easy, will definately be making this cake again!
I have one in the oven now, didn’t realise it was one of your recipes!
This is the easiest chocolate ever, and it taste really good too. Just popped it in to the oven for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. Thanks for having it on your website, I love your recipes.
My gran taught us a similar recipe, apparently the basic idea was invented during war rationing. We used to cook it, doubled, in a roasting pan. Brilliant with kids because it was fairly indestructible – as a mum now my kids can dump ingredients in, no particular order, they mix with a fork, I do a quick hidden-pocket-of-flour check and then in to the oven it goes! In fact it might be a great plan for a rainy afternoon today :)
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Could I leave the cocoa out to make a vanilla cake?
Sorry no, it wouldn’t be a nice cake.
I made this and it was absolutely delicious!!! Love ALL your recipes Chelsea – have never had a failure. Thank you s much
Is this recipe in any of your books? If so what one please
Scrumptious x
Hi Chelsea,
I have the same recipe although mine is a bigger cake with ingredients being double your recipe. I have had my recipe for 40 years and is called German Chocolate Cake. I ice it with chocolate icing however my recipe has an icing / topping made of evaporated milk, coconut, sugar & egg yolks which is delicious which is why I only make the topping when I have folks to eat it otherwise I would eat the lot. I am keen to make the next one with coffee.
i would just add to the instructions “if pregnant, make double the chocolate icing” – i am eating it by the spoonful as it cools! there’ll be none left for the cake at this rate! absolutely stunning and seemingly foolproof as I am an awful baker!
Great recipe. Can I substitute olive oil with rice bran oil?
Yes x
You are a lovely lady. Thank you for sharing. This lovely cake made our evening with friends even more special.