Almost Flourless Olive Oil Chocolate Cake

This recipe is from Fran Gage's "The New American Olive Oil". This cake is much lighter than a cake made with a similar recipe that uses butter. The chocolate flavor is not as intense as a butter version. This cake is delicious and works well when you don't want a heavy dessert.

Almost Flourless Chocolate Cake (olive oil chocolate cake)

7 oz. 70% Chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup delicate extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup sugar, divided

5 extra-large eggs at room temperature, separated

2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

powdered sugar for dusting

whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle position.

Line the bottom of a 9 by 3 inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the sides.

Melt the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl over simmering water and whisk until smooth.

Add the olive oil, whisking in a steady stream. Whisk in 2/3 cup of the sugar, the egg yolks, and then the flour and salt.

Beat the egg whites at medium speed with a mixer until they start to foam. Add about a third of the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the whites are opaque, then add another third of the sugar. When the whites begin to increase in volume and become firmer, add the rest of the sugar and turn the mixer speed to high. Beat until the whites form soft peaks.

Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in two additions.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the cake is puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a rack. It will deflate.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto a plate and peel off the paper.

Lightly dust the top with powdered sugar. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream.