Food Recipes Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes 3.0 (5) 4 Reviews Earl Grey tea and olive oil are the two special ingredients that take these vegan cakes to the next level of holiday food gifts. By Lizzy Briskin Lizzy Briskin Website Lizzy is the food editor at Real Simple magazine. She received professional chef's training at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Cambridge Massachusetts and holds and BA in English from Amherst College. Previously, she worked as a freelance food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer for publications and food companies including Runner's World, Insider, and the Chicago Tribune. She also ran Earthen Food Co., a content production and personal chef business in Boston, Massachusetts. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 18, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins Servings: 12 Yield: 12 Don’t be fooled by how cute these mini chocolate olive oil cakes are; they’re an elevated holiday food gift that happen to be naturally vegan, too! Whisking in brewed earl grey tea to the batter brings floral, aromatic, and citrusy notes to these soft cakes. And a good-quality olive oil offers richness and keeps the cake moist. Adorn the cakes with a simple silky chocolate glaze then top them with a light shower of candied orange peel. No orange peel? Try candied ginger or fresh orange zest instead. Ingredients Cakes Baking spray 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 2 oranges) 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 cups warm Earl Grey tea (brewed with 2 tea bags) 1 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Glaze 1 cup confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa power 1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 12 mini loaf or mini Bundt pans with baking spray. (Bake in batches if needed.) Make cakes: Whisk flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, orange zest, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add tea, oil, and vinegar; whisk until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans (about 1/2 cup per pan). Bake until set and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out mostly clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour. Make glaze: Whisk confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water and whisk until smooth. If needed, add up to 1 more tablespoon water until mixture is spreadable (not pourable). Spread glaze evenly over cooled cakes with a butter knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle with candied orange peel, if desired. Store covered or in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Rate it Print