Rich, chocolatey, and packed with cherries this chocolate cherry olive oil cake is the perfect dessert for all chocolate lovers. An olive oil cake is topped with an espresso ganache and covered in macerated cherries. This impressive dessert is a rich and sweet way to end a meal.
I love a dessert that when you bring it out everyone is impressed and there may be some oohs and ahs. One of my favorite parts about this cake is although it is impressive to look at, it is pretty simple to make. Here’s the thing – this cake looks like you spent all day on it, but the truth is, it’s mostly letting simple techniques do all the heavy lifting. Want to nail this recipe every time? I got you I have some tips and tricks that’ll make this a cakewalk, pun intended.
Table of Contents
Why olive oil changes everything
I know that olive oil does sound weird for a cake instead of butter, however there are plenty of cakes that use oil by themselves. A great example of this is one of my favorite cakes to make for the holidays, Spice Cake with Eggnog Buttercream. But here’s what happens: olive oil stays liquid at room temperature, which means that your cake will stay moist longer, even exposed to air. Butter solidifies as it cools, which is why butter cakes can get dry after a day or two. The other reason for this is that olive oil is 100% fat, and butter is not. The water from butter will evaporate leaving less fat by weight in to cake to keep it moist.
Then we want to consider how it tastes. Olive oil has this subtle fruity flavor that can enhance and pair well with stone fruits like cherries and chocolate. Use good extra virgin olive oil, and not the same stuff you’d use for a salad dressing, I mean you can but taste it first and make sure it doesn’t taste spicy or peppery. Like the difference between European style butter and other types it is important you treat it like an ingredient with a flavor not just fat.
Pro tip from my kitchen to yours: The combination of brown and white sugar here isn’t random. The molasses in brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel-like flavor that compliments chocolate and makes the taste more complex. It’s like adding a splash or two of bourbon or whiskey to your coffee, it just makes everything better.
The cherry situation
What it comes to cherries fresh ones are incredible when they’re in season. However, you shouldn’t let that stop you from making this when they aren’t in season, I’m looking at you February, or if you cannot get ahold of them. Good frozen cherries work perfectly fine, and make sure you let them thaw slightly before folding them in. You don’t want them rock hard, and you also don’t want them completely thawed and leaking their juices everywhere.
The best part is those macerated cherries you will spoon on top. We’re basically creating a quick and easy cherry compote by tossing them with sugar and letting them sit. The sugar draws out the natural juices, creating this light syrup that cuts through the richness of the chocolate. This makes the dessert feel less rich but still indulgent.
Here’s why this works so well: Chocolate can be intense as it is rich and dense. This cake has two chocolate elements so that bright acidity from the cherries and vinegar helps to reset your palate with every bite. This means you can enjoy the whole slice instead of getting dessert fatigue halfway through.
Let's talk about that ganache
Ganache sounds fancy, but it’s literally just chocolate and cream. The trick is in the technique. When you pour hot cream over chopped chocolate, you’re creating an emulsion of fat and cocoa solids that becomes creamy and smooth. The more cream you add the thinner the ganache will be. The standard ratio of cream to chocolate is 1:1 this recipe is more like .66:1 which will make it thicker and create a natural barrier for the cherries on top.
The espresso powder doesn’t make this a coffee dessert. It’s an old pastry chef trick because coffee intensifies chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee. It’s similar to how a pinch of salt makes everything taste more like itself.
Temperature is everything here: If your cream is too hot, you’ll break the chocolate and get a grainy mess. If it’s not hot enough, the chocolate won’t melt properly. You just want to see steam coming from the cream and tiny bubbles if it gets that hot. The key is to chop the chocolate into very small chunks.
Perfect for entertaining
This cake is a knockout for dinner parties because you can make it completely ahead of time. In fact, it gets better overnight. The olive oil keeps everything moist, and all those flavors meld together beautifully.
How I plan a dinner around this recipe
Here are some of my suggestions for what to serve before this dessert:
- Warm Kale Salad with Butternut Squash
- Eggplant Crostini
- Filet Mignon with an added Chimichurri sauce
- Grilled Rack of Lamb
- Herb Roasted Melting Potatoes
- Creamy Mushroom Rosotto for a vegetarian option or as a side.
The progression works because you’re moving from fresh and light to rich and satisfying, then ending with something sweet but not cloying (thanks to those tart cherries).
Wine pairing note: If you’re doing wine, go with something that can handle the chocolate. A good Côtes du Rhône or even a port if you really want to be fancy. Honestly, this cake with a good bourbon is incredible.
Make-ahead game plan
Day before: Make the cake and ganache separately. Store the cake wrapped at room temperature, ganache in the fridge.
Day of: Let the ganache come to room temperature (or warm it gently), assemble the cake, and make those macerated cherries a few hours before serving.
Leftover situation: This cake keeps very well for 3-4 days. The olive oil is your friend here – it stays moist when butter cakes start drying out.
Seasonal variations to try
Spring: Swap cherries for strawberries and add a little balsamic to the maceration
Summer: Blackberries or raspberries work beautifully
Fall: Try diced pears with a tiny bit of cinnamon in the maceration
Winter: Dried cherries soaked in bourbon (because of course)
Looking for more impressive desserts?
- Chocolate Souffle – another crowd-pleaser that looks way harder than it is
- The Best Fudgy Brownies – when you want chocolate but simpler
- Hasselback Apples with Caramel Sauce– another simple recipe with complex flavors.
The key with all of these is understanding the why behind the techniques. Once you get that, you can make anything work.
Chocolate Cherry Olive Oil Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch springform pan
- Parchment paper
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups cherries fresh or frozen, pitted
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup cocoa powder Dutch-process
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water room temperature
- 3 eggs large, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Espresso Ganache:
- 6 ounces dark chocolate finely chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional, for extra shine
For the Macerated Cherries:
- 1¼ cups cherries pitted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or lemon juice (optional but suggested)
- ½ teaspoon kirsch or vanilla (optional)
Instructions
Start with the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, 177°C, or gas mark 4. Grease and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, ½ tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, both sugars, eggs, water, sour cream, vanilla, almond extract, and espresso powder.1 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup dark brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup water, 3 eggs, ½ cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Gently fold in the cherries. Pour into your pan and bake for 42-48 minutes. You want a toothpick to come out with just a few moist crumbs - completely clean means it's overdone.1¼ cups cherries
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.
Make the ganache while it cools:
- In a medium bowl add the chocolate, espresso and salt.6 ounces dark chocolate, pinch sea salt, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- In a saucepan, heat the cream until you see small bubbles around the edges and steam rising. Don't let it boil.½ cup heavy cream
- Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes. Whisk from the center outward until it's smooth and glossy. If you want extra shine, whisk in that butter at the end.1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Let it cool for about 20 minutes until it's thick enough to coat the cake without running off completely.
Macerate the cherries:
- Once the cake is in the oven, add the cherries, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and kirsch in a bowl. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes.1¼ cups cherries, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon kirsch
Bring it all together:
- Pour that ganache right over the cooled cake and let it do its thing - some will drip down the sides and that's exactly what you want. Serve each slice with a big spoonful of those macerated cherries.
Nutrition
