Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

I've become a big fan of olive oil cakes.  They are fool proof and results in a dense yet moist cake.  They can be iced or simply dusted with powdered sugar.  It makes a nice dessert for breakfast with a good cup of coffee. It can be made with all almond meal (flour) for gluten free or all purpose flour or a mixture of both.  I found this recipe in Health Magazine.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients:
2/3 c olive oil, plus more for greasing the cake pan
6 Tbs good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c boiling water
1 1/2 c almond meal(flour)  or 3/4 c plus 1 Tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 c superfine (baker's) sugar
3 large eggs

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Grease a 9 inch springform pan or high sided tart pan with removable bottom with a little olive oil and line bottom with parchment paper.  Or spray with baking pam.

2.  Sift cocoa powder into a bowl and whisk in boiling water until you have a smooth chocolate, barely runny paste.  Whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.

3.  In a small bowl, combine almond meal or flour with baking soda and a pinch of salt.

4.  Put sugar, olive oil and eggs into bowl of a freestanding mixer with a paddle attachment or a bowl and whisk.  Beat vigorously until mixture is pale primrose, aerated, thickened and creamy about 3 minutes.

5.  Turn down mixer speed and beat in cocoa mixture.  Slowly add almond meal or flour mixture.

6.  Turn off mixer and stir a little with a spatula.  Pour batter into prepared cake pan.  Bake until sides of cake are set and very center still looks slightly damp, 40 to 45 minutes.  A cake tester should come out mainly clean with a few sticky chocolate crumbs.

7.  Let cake cool in it pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Ease sides of cake with a small metal spatula or knife and remove cake from pan.  Leave it to cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Serve with ice cream and/or berries.