Vegan Gold Coast Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Glaze


This vegan cake is a variation of an Italian water cake baked with olive oil and water. It is a delicious cake that can be enjoyed with the recommended glaze or dusted with powdered sugar. There are so many possible variations – substitute the water for unsweetened vegan milk or vegan buttermilk; add chopped nuts or fresh, pitted cherries; add grated orange zest; or add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of chili pepper. (Image by Shalom Kassa)

 


 

The Cake

YOU WILL NEED

CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX

WET INGREDIENTS

¾ cup water (180g)
⅓ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil (67g)
¼ cup brewed coffee (60g)

STIR-IN

⅓ cup 70% dark chocolate, chopped (2oz, 56g)


INSTRUCTIONS
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a round 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • Stir water, olive oil and brewed coffee until combined.
  • Place chocolate cake mix in a large bowl.
  • Slowly add the liquid blend to the chocolate cake mix while mixing with a hand-held whisk until well combined.
  • Stir in chopped chocolate.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in baking pan for about 10 minutes before unmolding.

The Glaze

YOU WILL NEED

INGREDIENTS

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (3oz, 85g)
2 tablespoons mild, extra virgin olive oil (25g)
A pinch of Fleur de Sel

 

INSTRUCTIONS
  • Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
  • Heat olive oil in a small pan until warmed, but not boiling hot.
  • Pour olive oil over chopped chocolate and stir until thoroughly blended.
  • Pour glaze over cooled cake.
  • If desired, decorate frosted cake with edible gold leaves or gold nonpareils for a wow effect.

 

Customize your cake mix product box with this 4" x 6" recipe label!

 

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Tips & Methods

Baking Tips

General Baking Tips

  • Preheat your oven to 325ºF.
  • Prepare the pan: Grease the recommended pan and line it with parchment paper. If using a Bundt pan, apply a baking spray that contains flour.
  • For best results: Weigh all ingredients and bring them to room temperature.
  • Avoid opening the oven door until the cake has set, unless the recipe instructs otherwise.
  • Check for doneness: Your cake is done when it begins to shrink from the sides of the pan, springs back when touched or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cooling: Let the cake cool for 5–10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Storage Guidelines

  • Frosted cakes or cakes with pastry cream: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • Plain or glazed cakes and cookies (without frosting or pastry cream):
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • Refrigerating plain cakes: For extended storage, double-wrap cooled cake in cling film and aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  • Freezing plain cakes: Double-wrap in cling film and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Defrosting frozen cakes: Keep the wrapped cake in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.

Mini Treats, Big Flavor

Alternative Baking Options (for all cake recipes except for vegan recipes )

Cupcakes:

  • Bake at 325ºF for 18–21 minutes in a cupcake pan with liners.
  • Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.
  • Yields about 24 cupcakes.

Mini Bundt Cakes:

  • Bake at 325ºF for 18–21 minutes in a mini Bundt pan.
  • Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.
  • Yields about 24 mini Bundt cakes.

Bite-Sized Mini Muffins:

  • Bake at 325ºF for 13–16 minutes in a mini muffin pan with liners (1.25 inch diameter).
  • Fill each cavity about two-thirds full.
  • Yields about 72 mini muffins.
  • Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before unmolding.
  • Cool completely before frosting.

Cookies:

1 package Flour & Olive cake mix (For Almond cake mix: add 1 extra egg yolk and 1 additional tablespoon olive oil or butter)

  • 2 large eggs (126 g)
  • ½ cup olive oil or cooled, melted butter (113 g)
  • ¾ cup stir-ins, optional (chocolate chips, chopped nuts, sprinkles, or M&Ms)
  • ½ cup icing sugar, optional (for rolling crinkle cookies)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Beat eggs at high speed for 3–5 minutes until light and fluffy. With mixer running, drizzle in olive oil (or cooled, melted butter) and beat until thick and creamy.
  3. Add cake mix and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Refrigerate dough for 10–15 minutes.
  4. Scoop batter: Using a 1-inch ice cream scoop, drop 12 mounds onto each sheet, leaving space between.
  5. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until cookies are just set.
  6. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes ~24 cookies.
  7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.

Decoration Ideas

  • Dip in melted chocolate
  • Spoon room temperature ganache over cookies
  • Brush cooled cookies with sugar glaze.
  • Sandwich with caramel, ganache, frosting or ice cream.

Crinkle Cookie Option

  • Use a 1.5-inch scoop to drop 8 mounds per sheet.
  • Roll each mound into a ball, coat in icing sugar, and flatten slightly.
  • Bake as directed above.

Olive Oil Cake Method

  • Pre-heat your oven to 325ºF.
  • Grease the recommended cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
    If using a Bundt pan, apply a baking spray made with flour.
  • In a separate bowl, beat room temperature eggs at high speed for 3-5 minutes, then add mild extra virgin olive oil in a slow, steady drizzle until thick and creamy.
  • Add remaining wet ingredients and the cake mix to the egg mixture and mix until combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl. Do not overmix.
  • Gently mix stir ins into batter until well combined.
  • Scrape batter into prepared pan(s) and sprinkle with toppings.
  • Bake immediately following the guidelines in the recipe.
  • Cool in baking pan for 5-10 minutes before unmolding.
  • Cool cake completely before frosting.

Butter Cake Method

You can substitute butter for olive oil in our recipes at a 1:1 ratio—no complicated conversions needed!

  • Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Grease the recommended cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • Whisk wet ingredients (eggs, milk, dairy products, etc.) together on medium speed until well blended.
  • In a separate bowl, beat softened butter, cake mix, and dry ingredients on low speed until combined and sandy in texture (about 30 seconds).
  • With the mixer still on, slowly add wet ingredients, scraping the bowl down from time to time. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for two minutes. Do not overmix.
  • Fold in stir-ins (nuts, berries, chopped fruit, chocolate chips, etc.) until just blended.
  • Scrape batter into prepared pan(s) and evenly sprinkle with toppings (e.g., sliced almonds).
  • Bake immediately following the guidelines in the recipe.
  • Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before unmolding.
  • Cool completely before frosting.