olive oil Archives - Parsley and Icing

And the best way to kick off the weekend is…. with these easy, delicious Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes, of course! Made with melted chocolate, rich olive oil and studded with chocolate chips, you won’t know what chocolatey deliciousness hit you! Best part? These fudgy cupcakes are naturally gluten free.

ABOUT THESE FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Made with both melted chocolate and chocolate chips, these cupcakes are a chocolate lover’s dream. I used lots of dark chocolate in mine and my husband, who is a huge dark chocolate fan, loves them! These cupcakes are the same recipe as my Flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake. Rather than pouring it into a 9 inch pan, I turned it into 12 cupcakes!

I love the chocolatey olive oil base. The olive oil adds a rich and fruity flavor and so much moisture! I also use olive oil in my Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake. The olive oil makes for such a tender, delicious texture in both cakes!

WHAT’S IN THIS FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES RECIPE

I’ll start by what’s not in it: flour. I know…flourless cake sounds a little weird, but it is soooo good! Flourless makes these cupcakes naturally gluten free. This olive oil dessert is also dairy free. For a flourless and sugar less chocolate cake recipe, check out this 3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake from Gimme Some Oven!

As far as what’s in it, it’s a simple list of ingredients that most people probably have on hand. You can make mini substitutions with what you have on hand.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS:

Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil. Melted butter can be substituted for the olive oil.
Chocolate: I recommend dark chocolate but bittersweet or semisweet also work.
Eggs: Use 4 large.
Sugar: I found that 3/4 cup is the perfect, just right amount.
Cocoa Powder: 1/3 cup
Vanilla: 2 1/2 teaspoons which surprisingly brings out the chocolate flavor.
Espresso powder: This is the ingredient that you might not have on hand. It also works to bring out the chocolate flavor. It can usually be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. You can definitely leave it out if you don’t have it. In that case, I’d suggest bumping the amount of vanilla up to a tablespoon.
Chocolate chips Semisweet, bittersweet, dark or milk chocolate chips all work.
Salt: Salt also enhances the chocolatey flavor and rounds out some of the sweetness.

HOW TO MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Start by melting the chocolate and olive oil in a medium bowl in the microwave. I like to first chop the chocolate since chopping it will help it melt faster. Melt the chocolate and olive oil in the microwave in about two twenty second intervals. Stir it really well after each interval. The chocolate will melt more as you stir it.

You want to keep the chocolate nice and shiny so make sure not to heat it more than necessary in the microwave. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the olive oil and set mixture aside.

THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS

Next, you’ll add most of the other ingredients to a large bowl. Stir or whisk together the sugar, salt, espresso powder, cocoa powder and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and olive oil mixture then stir in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the chocolate chips. That’s it. So easy!

BAKING THE CUPCAKES

Grease or line a cupcake tin and distribute the batter among 12 cups. I prefer greasing my tin rather than using cupcake liners. Using cupcake liners typically leaves little liner marks. Although these are cupcakes, I prefer them to have the look of mini cakes, so I just grease the tin really well. Once baked, the mini cakes, or cupcakes will pop right out!

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake. Cool for about ten minutes in the muffin tins and then remove to a rack.

ENJOYING THE CUPCAKES

I love and can’t resist this cake warm, but it can also be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold. These cupcakes are delicious as is since they’re very brownie-like.

If you want to add toppings, which I highly recommend, these sweet but not too sweet chocolate cupcakes are the perfect blank slate for all your favorite toppings!

WHAT TO TOP YOUR CUPCAKES WITH

WHIPPED CREAM

Since there is chopped chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate chips in this flourless espresso cake, I like to top it off with a dollop of chocolate whipped cream! It only takes four ingredients and five minutes to make. You can also make the whipped cream without the cocoa.

I love folding fresh raspberries into either plain or chocolate whipped cream. I love the freshness that the berries add to an otherwise rich dessert. Chopped strawberries would also work. I like raspberries because you don’t need to chop them. Just lightly mash them with a fork and they fold in nicely. They add a pretty pink color and little bits of fruit!

MORE TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

GANACHE: Rich, chocolatey ganache is the perfect sauce to drizzle or pour over the cake! Here’s the easy two ingredient ganache recipe I use for my Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes.
ICE CREAM: A scoop of vanilla, chocolate, or coffee ice cream is AMAZING but really any flavor ice cream works!
POWDERED SUGAR: A simple dusting of powdered sugar makes the cake extra pretty and adds a touch more sweetness!
CARAMEL: My chocolate caramel recipe comes to mind first, but this maple caramel would be delicious too!

These flourless chocolate cupcakes are the perfect combination of a piece of chocolate cake and a brownie. They have the fudgy, gooey texture of brownies and are super easy to make! Perfect for when the chocolate urge strikes or for having friends over.

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes

Author: Natalie
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
Category: Desserts, Cupcakes
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Description

These easy flourless chocolate cupcakes make the best fudgy, rich treat! Gluten free and perfect for weekdays or company. Top with ice cream or homemade whipped cream!

Scale

Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

6 ounces semisweet, dark, or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

FOR THE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM*

1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

Instructions

Generously grease a muffin tin. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Melt the olive oil and chopped chocolate together in the microwave in two 20 second intervals. Stir very well in between intervals. Set aside and let cool for a few minutes while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, espresso, cocoa and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and olive oil mixture. Stir in the eggs and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM

For best results, chill the bowl and beaters or whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer for 15- 20 minutes before using. In the bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the whipping cream on high speed for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and pour the powdered sugar and cocoa in followed by the vanilla. Turn the mixer back up to high and continue mixing until you have medium to stiff peaks, about 3 more minutes.

Notes

*Alternatively, you could add raspberries to the whipped cream. Keep it chocolate flavored and add raspberries or omit the cocoa powder and add raspberries. Lightly crush the raspberries with a fork before folding them in.

Keywords: espresso, chocolate, chocolate chips, dark chocolate, cupcakes, mini cakes, whipped cream, raspberriese

A vibrant looking olive oil cake with blood orange slices baked in it on a rack.

I love that cold, cloudy January in Ottawa is also the start of blood orange season in warm, sunny, faraway climates. I get a little cheerier just seeing these oranges and thinking about the vibrant color and fresh taste inside them. While olive oil cake is super moist and fragrant on its own, blood oranges add a burst of color and freshness to the cake and to my (currently) greyish Canadian winter.

A close up picture of a colorful blood oranges sliced in half on a cutting board.

UNIQUE ORANGES AND CAKE

This cake will be fun to bring for my family next time I visit. I can’t wait to see my mom’s reaction when she sees the gorgeous pinkish-reddish-purplish blood orange slices on top.

You know those toys that are popular with kids these days? The ones where they don’t know exactly what they get until they open it? I feel like blood oranges are the natural version of those toys for people who love food. You don’t know what color or shade the orange will be until you cut into it! Whether it’s more orange, red or purple, you can be sure the flesh will be vibrant and gorgeous.

I’m also excited for my mom to hear that the cake is made with olive oil. A lot of people (I’m pretty sure my mom included) don’t know that you can bake with olive oil. The olive oil is this cake makes it flavorful, moist and tender.

CAKE INSPIRATION

I love finding and creating different cakes. I first discovered olive oil cakes in an old Italian cookbook in the library of my hometown. I loved the idea and have tried a few different citrus olive oil cakes.

While searching olive oil cakes, I came across a blood orange olive oil recipe from The Smitten Kitchen and loved the idea! I took inspiration from this cake and had fun creating my own blood orange olive oil cake!

BAKING WITH BLOOD ORANGES

This cake uses the zest, juice and fruit of three blood oranges (plus the juice of a fourth orange in the whipped cream). Since we’re using the zest of two of the oranges, it’s a good idea to buy organic oranges.

I love my microplane for zesting. There’s really nothing like it and it’s definitely one of my favorite kitchen tools.

After zesting the two oranges, I juiced one and got the most gorgeous ruby red juice! This juice along with a couple of tablespoons of milk and 1/2 cup of olive oil make the cake super moist.

For the other zested orange, peel it then chop it as finely as you like. I chopped mine into pretty small 1/4″ pieces. It’ll get added to the batter and you’ll get little bites of the fruit in the cake. So nice.

A white bowl filled with mustard colored blood orange zest and a microplane with zest in it.

I cut the peel off the third orange and cut it into 1/4″ rounds then baked it on top of the cake. The blood orange rounds on top let people know what’s in the cake. They also manage to retain some of their juice even though they’re baked.

I noticed a lot of recipes for orange rounds with the peel on that get baked on the bottom (top?!) of an upside down cake. They look gorgeous, but I find the peeled rounds easier to eat.

To make sure the rounds don’t sink into the cake, bake it for about ten minutes then take it out and add the rounds. They can be arranged in any design. I just felt like spreading them out all over the cake. However you arrange it, it’ll look rustic and SO pretty!

BLOOD ORANGE WHIPPED CREAM

I thought about making a glaze for a little extra sweetness, but didn’t want to cover the pretty top of the cake. Whipped cream is the perfect topping since it can be plopped on top of or next to individual slices.

A cup of heavy whipping cream, half an orange getting juiced and some powdered sugar.

The whipped cream in this recipe is made with just three ingredients and only takes a few minutes to make. I added the juice of another blood orange to the whipped cream. The juice gives it a subtle fruity flavor and a light pink color. It just makes the cake extra pretty and delicious.

One other finishing touch is a little bit of olive oil. I brushed the top of my cake right before serving. It gives it a little extra shine and flavor.

A freshly baked blood orange olive oil cake getting brushed with olive oil.

Let me see…I think that was all I wanted to explain. The rest of the recipe is straightforward. It’s an easy cake that makes a stunning, unique looking and tasting dessert. I can’t wait for you to make it and I hope you love it!

FOR MORE BAKED IN FRUIT DESSERT RECIPES, TRY MY:

a slice of olive oil cake with a blood orange slice baked in it and some whipped cream

On a final note, as soon as I finished baking the cake, the sun came out here in Ottawa!

Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Author: Natalie
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8–10 slices 1x
Category: Cake
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian

Description

This gorgeous Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake makes a super moist, colorful, flavorful dessert. Easy to make and delicious with homemade whipped cream!

Scale

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons milk
3 blood oranges
Olive oil for brushing

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
the juice of one blood orange

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or lightly oil an 8″ pan.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Two of the blood oranges will be added to the batter while the remaining orange will be added to the top of the cake as decoration while baking. Zest two oranges. Set the zest aside. Juice one of the zested oranges and set the juice aside. Peel the remaining orange then finely chop it into 1/4″ pieces. Set aside. For the third orange, chop off both the bottom and top. Use a small knife to cut the peel off in pieces from top to bottom. Cut closely to the fruit so as to remove both the peel and the pith. Follow the curve of the fruit so that you do not cut off much of the juicy flesh. Turn the orange on its side and slice it into 1/4″ rounds. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer using a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar for 30 seconds on medium high speed. Gradually pour the olive oil into the bowl in a slow but steady stream followed by the milk and the blood orange juice and zest.
Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped blood orange fruit.
Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake 10 minutes then remove cake from oven and quickly and carefully add the orange slices on top of the cake. Return the cake to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake (a few crumbs are okay).
Place the pan on a rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from the pan and allow to cool completely on the rack. Once cooled or before serving, brush cake lightly with olive oil.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

For best results, chill the bowl and beaters in the fridge or freezer for 15- 20 minutes before using. Beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed. Let the cream mix for a few minutes while watching carefully. When you have soft peaks, gently pour the sugar in followed by the blood orange juice. Continue mixing until you have medium peaks. Serve alongside or on top of the cake or individual slices.

Keywords: blood orange olive oil cake, citrus olive oil cake, blood orange cake