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.
This recipe looks delicious and already have all the ingredients in my pantry! Can you use this same recipe to make them into cupcakes?
Yes, just reduce the cooking time x
Someone at work today baked your cake today and it was sooooo good! Your recipies always work out and taste amazing!! I can’t wait to have your new book which is on my birthday list for October! Thanks Chelsea :-)
Hello,
I am thinking of making this for my Mum for mothers day, it sounds yummy,
I was just wondering, do you know how long it lasts after you have cooked it? like a couple of days or a week?
thanks :)
Another fantastic Chelsea recipe.. The taste and texture are just so yum…even my picky five year old loves it….a total winner…just awesome and it’s just so simple to make. ????
Hi Chelsea, can I use vegetable oil
yes x
Successfully managed to finally make the best chocolate cake ever! Ive always failed at cakes and this has been an absolute winner. Thank you for sharing this recipe and for your little comments along the way(very much needed for someone like me). This will be my go to from now!
Having made this recipe before, for the people asking about vinegar substitutes, lemon juice works really well too :-)
Thanks so much – like your beer bread recipe, you are AWESOME creating simple, delicious recipes for “lock-down;” especially suited for those whose supplies may be limited. You are a hero!
Hey there I am just wondering could I use normal cocoa powder as I don’t have dark? Thanks
yes!
Thank you sooo much, it’s my daughters b’day coming up and she’s allergic to egg! This is perfect due to being in isolation!
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Thank you for your recipe. It has been a hit with the family. I make this recipe into muffin tins for our daughter’s class as there are children with egg and dairy allergies.
Lovely! x
wow amazing cake thank you Chelsea – made it for the first time yesterday as a last minute birthday cake – when the person who was brining the cake couldn’t.
I cooked it in my small bench top oven – which can be a bit temp funny, I could tell it was starting to burn at 170C so cut it back to 150C for the last 30min -it worked out amazing and people including the birthday girl loved it – even a girl who says she hates cake loved it!
Very pleased its egg and dairy free – so great for vegans etc
Thank you
Have made this cake now 10 + times and it is so good! Although I had run out of Dutch Cocoa for the last few times I have made it, I used Raw cacao powder and it works just as good ( in my opinion )! Thanks for sharing this recipe !
I absolutely love this cake recipe and recommend it to everyone. Every time I make it it comes out so moist and chocolatey! But today I tried to make it gluten free … didn’t turn out so well! I used rice flour (it was all I had on hand) and increased the amount of oil to 1/2 cup. The batter was very runny and the cake took ages to cook. In the end I think I still pulled it out too early. It was kinda rubbery and goopy, although still tasted good! So I gave up on the gluten free idea and whipped up another (normal flour) one, it’s still in the oven, but it looks heaps better! Will try gluten free again using a proper gluten free flour mix.
Yes, a good gluten free flour will have a mixture of different flours x
I have made this so often now as its perfect for work events where people may have dietary restrictions. So many compliments!!
Now I want to use this for a layer in my son’s wedding cake. Would three stack up together ok, or would it be too soft? It’s so divinely moist in the middle.
Thank you for sharing such a yummy recipe which everyone can enjoy.
It should stack well x
Do you have a GF flour mix that you use in your recipes? They’re all so different so it’s good to know if there is one that you have tested these recipes with.
There is one coming in the next book due out later this year x
this is the best recipe i have ever made
i make it at lest once a month
thx for the recipe
Thanks! x
I am not a good baker and have made this cake numerous times for birthdays. It is so easy and so delicious and everyone comments on how rich, moist and yummy it is. Thanks Chelsea!
Thanks x
Absolute delight making this cake – every time I make it I get an obscure amount of compliments. Such a dense, chocolately mound of goodness! I added coffee to the water, which I think really was the icing on the cake (excuse the pun ;) ) thanking you from very satisfied humans!
Should I use water instead of coffee if I’m serving it to young kids (2 yr old and 4 yr old)? Or does the coffee add a special dimension so I should add the coffee and consider giving a different dessert to the kids?
You can use water x
hello chelsea, can i use coconut oil instead of olive or normal oil ?
Coconut oil hardens as it cools so it gives a different texture x
This is really the go to cake recipe for all different dietary requirements. I have no dietary restrictions but it’s my go to recipe anyway because it’s truly the most delicious and easiest chocolate cake recipe! And no need to have eggs and butter around when cravings arise! I made it with GF flour once and it was still moist and yummy. The unusual but undetectable vinegar taste just work its magic with all the other ingredients. Thank you Chelsea for this amazing cake! (and many other wonderful recipes too!)
Has anyone made this cake with the coffee and given it to kids not sure if it would be enough to have an effect? ????Thinking maybe I will leave it out and just use water?
Can you taste the oil in this recipe?
I have made a cake with oil before seems it tasted horrible!
It’s fine – if you are really worried you just use grape seed oil.
Love this! It was so good. Used this recipe for my daughter’s 3rd Birthday cake and everyone commented on how nice it was! Thanks so much for sharing, I’ll be making this again for sure!
Made this cake into cup cakes for grandsons 10th birthday. Just perfect….made 13, cooked in 20 minutes and thawed out frozen raspberries to sieve and flavour the butter icing I piped on the top. 10 candles and raspberries and smarties completed the effect. Thank You Chelsea for great recipe!
Gorgeous x
This is literally my favourite cake EVER. I make it completely vegan due to a dairy intolerance, and have varied the ingredients due to what’s in the cupboard (ie, maple syrup instead of vanilla, apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic) and everything works and the cake is perfect every time. And even better I don’t get sick when I eat it!! LOVE THIS CAKE SO MUCH..
Aw thanks Pam, that’s awesome!
I made two batches to form a layer cake and it was a huge hit! My colleagues couldn’t believe that a vegan cake could be so moist and chocolatey :) I’m very impressed, this will now be my go-to chocolate cake recipe.
I’ve made this cake at least a dozen times now and it tastes waaaaay better (more fudgey) if you use GF flour :) Thanks Chelsea!
Thank you Chelsea for this “go to” chocolate cake. It is a lifesaver! I have a child allergic to egg and have hunted for a great cake for so long. This is the one and only cake I now make and everyone loves it.
I made this as a four x 18cm layer unicorn cake for my (egg allergic) daughter’s birthday! I used the coconut cream ganache as filling between layers & used the leftover batter as cupcakes. It worked perfectly and everyone loves the recipe.
Best of all (and oddly…) I levelled the cakes to stack, and put the trimmed off tops in the freezer. Two weeks later I was feeling peckish and grabbed them out, didnt want to wait to defrost so ate them straight out of the freezer and it was like a delicious, sticky gooey freezer brownie cookie!!!!
Hi Chelsea, is it ok to prepare the batter in advance? Also I only have one cake tin and would like to make a layered cake, so will have to bake on at a time. Will the batter sit ok while waiting?
It is best to bake immediately as the baking soda and vinegar reaction makes the cake rise. You could weigh out the dry mix ahead of time though x
I’m hosting a pink ribbon stall this mother’s day, and this is one of my go to’s so that no one misses out on trying something and supporting our fundraiser.
I love that I can turn it from cake, to muffin to cupcakes easy as pie. Thanks team Chelsea. Since I saw you share it in 2015 on breakfast, it’s been a life saver.
This is my go to cake! Thank you for such an amazing recipe! I sub a the oil for normal sunflower oil and apple cider vinny instead of olive.
I used it today as a base but removed the cocoa and added extra flour and cinnamon (one of the kids has an allergy) it made amazing ”donut flavoured’ mini cakes!!
This was so delicious!! Easy and quick to make as well. My new go to cake as could add raspberries and split in the middle with whipped cream to make a special cake yummmmy ?
I made this cake today, it was sensational, ty
Thank you this is an amazing receipt. I changed out half the sugar for date purée and the other half to coconut nectar. I used fig balsamic vinegar and it was so beautiful and moist. My kids loved it and couldn’t taste the balsamic vinegar at all.
Lovely x
Love this cake! Thanks Chelsea. Just wondering if it would freeze well or not?
Yes, just wrap it really well before freezing. And keep it wrapped to defrost x
Thank you for giving a classic recipe some flavor. I can’t bake to save my life but tried this out for a pre birthday cake practice. used a little lest sugar and apple cider vinegar and rice oil. cooked really well. was very moist and dark colours. everyone loved it and keep going on about it. so I’m going to double it for my daughter first birthday.
Most delicious cake recipe EVER!! Would never do another one other than this now if i ever wanted to make a chocolate cake!
:-)
YUMMO,best chocolate cake ever!!
Hi Chelsea, just making this, if I make 2 what would you put in the centre of them? The same icing?
Yes, that would work x
Ok so I am not really one to bake or have anything turn out fantastic when I bake. However I gave this one a whirl and doubled the recipe as it was my friends 21st birthday. Cooked one batch first and then the other batch after to make a layered cake. I covered it with chocolate fingers around the outside of the cake and on top malteasers and m&Ms. It turned out PERFECT. Everyone in the office thought I had bought it from a store and raved on about how amazing it was. Ps for those who don’t like chocolate cake because usually they’re dry and floury, this one is like a perfect mud cake. This will be my go to recipe for Birthday cakes from now on ?
Oh man this cake is good! As a Vegan, this is now my go-to cake recipe!! I make it in a square tin and am able to get 25 – 30 square pieces out of it! It’s such a crowd pleaser honestly, I take it to school to share with friends and it goes down so well every time… love boasting about it being vegan, won’t like haha!
Hi Chelsea, I made this once and loved it!!!! Im doing one for my son’s birthday party. We will be expecting around 30 people. Do you think I should make the cake 3x, and just put it on top of each other, or should i just triple the amount of ingredients and make a huge cake???? Would that work? Thank you so much.
Hiya! I’ve made this in a square tin and managed to get 30 pieces out of it! Although for more decent sized pieces, you could just make two cakes :)
Hi Chelsea this chocolate cake recipe rocks!!!! I’ve used this recipe many times and loved it!! Sometimes I try to tweak difrent ingredients. And I found one tweak that works amazingly!!! I’m the type of person that loves strong flavors. So instead of using 1tbsp of balsamic vinager I put 2 tbsps. Try it some time!!!
just made this cake and its to die for, even just by itself (without the icing). thank you for sharing
I had no eggs, made this cake. Everyone loved it so moist, quick & easy to make. Thanks
Chelsea I just want to say a HUGE thank you for posting this recipe! It has been a life saver for our staff shared morning teas, as we have GF, Dairy free, Egg free AND NUT free teachers on staff!! Finding a sweet treat that caters for all of them is BLISSSSSS!!! So thanks!!! PS looking forward to you new book release!!!!!!
This cake is awesome. My go to birthday cake recipe. Love it :)