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Three pieces of cake on a gray background.

Olive Oil Cake with Walnut Chocolate Glaze (Ganache)

Aida
Quick olive oil cake with a twist: the batter is made with walnuts, and all of the cake is topped with a perfect walnut-chocolate glaze (ganache). Unbelievably yummy!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 8
Calories 849 kcal

Equipment

  • Baking pan sized approximately 10x14in (25x35cm).

Ingredients
 
 

Cake:

  • 4 eggs
  • 5.5 ounces sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 10.5 ounces white flour plus a little more
  • 7 ounces milk
  • 4 ounces olive oil
  • 3.5 ounces ground walnuts finely ground, sub with hazelnuts, almonds or a mix of
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the pan

Chocolate Glaze (Ganache):

  • 5.5 ounces sugar
  • 4 ounces butter
  • 3.5 ounces baking chocolate sub with dark chocolate
  • 5 ounces ground walnuts coarsely ground
  • 7 ounces milk

Instructions
 

  • Cake: In a big bowl combine eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and beat with a hand mixer for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients, and continue mixing until the batter integrates. Heat oven to 390°F (200°C).
  • Grease the baking pan with butter, then sprinkle with flour. Pour batter into the pan evenly. (Shake lightly from side to side if necessary.) Place in the oven and bring the temperature down to 355°F (180°C). Bake the cake for 25 minutes, turning the pan halfway. At this time, bring the temperature down to 320°F (150°C) and bake another 5 minutes or so.*
  • Chocolate Glaze (Ganache): (When you lower the temperature for the cake for the last time, start working on the glaze.) In a medium sized pot combine all glaze ingredients. Melt together over low and bring to a boil. Boil together for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Remove off heat.
  • Assembly: Take the cake out of the oven. Using a fork, or a skewer pierce in several places. Pour hot glaze over hot cake evenly, and leave to cool completely. Before serving cut into medium sized squares. Keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Notes

Step 3: To check whether a cake is finished do a toothpick test. Prick the cake with a toothpick in several places. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If the toothpick comes out with crumbs, leave the cake in the oven a little longer. Lower the temperature as needed. (You can also use a fork for the test.)
Walnuts: for the freshest option buy them whole (deshelled), and grind them at home. (If you're super ambitious buy them in shells, and do the deshelling yourself, but leave absolutely no shell in the mixture!) It's up to you how well you want to grind the nuts. Well-ground walnuts give the ganache a thicker texture, while coarser walnuts give off a chocolate vibe. Up to you! Substitute with almonds or hazelnuts or a mix of.
Cut into as many squares as you wish. A few squares go into a serving. We approximated 8 servings per pan. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8Sodium: 330mgCalcium: 209mgVitamin C: 1mgVitamin A: 603IUSugar: 43gFiber: 5gPotassium: 377mgCholesterol: 121mgCalories: 849kcalTrans Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 18gFat: 57gProtein: 14gCarbohydrates: 78gIron: 5mg
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