This Mediterranean Black Velvet Cake has a moist and velvety texture. We prepare this black cake with all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, Greek yogurt, coconut sugar, honey, vanilla extract, brewed coffee, and lemon juice. This black cake contains approximately 420 calories and 38 grams of net carbs. We bake this black cake for about one hour. This Mediterranean Black Velvet Cake is ideal for celebrations, dinner parties, birthdays, family gatherings, holiday tables, and special occasions. We can refrigerate the cake for more than five days and freeze the unfrosted layers for almost three months, so you can prepare it earlier. You can serve this cake with Greek yogurt and honey, fresh figs, mixed berries, Turkish coffee, mint tea, or a fresh fruit salad.
STATS:
- Course: Dessert
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Diet: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Cooking Method: Baking
- Total yields: 12
- Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
- Total Time: 1 hour
TOOLS:
- Cake pans
- Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cooling rack
- Offset spatula
- Sifter
- Wire whisk
INGREDIENTS:
CAKE:
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons of baking soda
- One teaspoon of baking powder
- Half tsp. sea salt
- Three eggs
- Olive oil, one cup
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup honey
- Vanilla extract, one tsp.
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- Honey, one-fourth cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- One tsp. vanilla extract
GARNISHES:
- ¼ cup pistachios
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate shavings
- Berries
INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR:
- This flour delivers structure and tender texture to this cake. We might also utilize whole wheat pastry flour.
DARK COCOA POWDER:
- This cocoa powder provides this cake its signature dark color and rich chocolate flavor. As a substitute, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL:
- We use olive oil to keep the cake moist and rich. Avocado oil might be utilized as another option.
GREEK YOGURT:
- Greek yogurt adds moisture and a slight tangy flavor to the cake. You can substitute it with plain yogurt, labneh, or dairy-free coconut yogurt.
COCONUT SUGAR:
- Coconut sugar provides natural sweetness and a mild caramel flavor. Date sugar could be utilized instead.
HONEY:
- Honey naturally sweetens the cake and complements the Mediterranean ingredients. As a replacement, you may use maple syrup or date syrup.
EGGS:
- Eggs help to create a soft and rich texture. An egg-free variation can be made with flax eggs.
COFFEE:
- Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor and gives a deep flavor to this cake. Hot water may be use in place of it.
DARK CHOCOLATE:
- Dark chocolate creates a rich and smooth frosting. Semi-sweet chocolate is a suitable substitute.
PISTACHIOS:
- Pistachios give a crunchy texture and Mediterranean flavor to the cake. We might also utilize hazelnuts, almonds, or walnuts.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Coat two cake pans with baking paper and preheat the empty oven to 175°C.
- Sift salt, flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a dish.
- Mix the lemon juice, eggs, vanilla extract, olive oil, honey, Greek yogurt, and coconut sugar in a different dish.
- Carefully combine all the dry and wet elements.
- Gently fill in the warm coffee & stir till the batter gets smooth.
- Uniformly distribute the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake till it is perfectly prepared, for almost thirty-five minutes.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the pans for about ten minutes.
- After that, arrange it on a wire rack to cool entirely.
- Stir the vanilla extract, melted dark chocolate, olive oil, Greek yogurt, and honey till becomes smoother.
- Put 1 cake layer on a serving plate and distribute the frosting on the surface.
- Include a second layer, frost the surface, & sides of the cake.
- Serve this black cake with fresh berries, pistachios, and chocolate shavings, and then make a slice.
TIPS:
- After adding the flour, don’t whisk the batter too much.
- We utilize neutral-temperature elements for perfect results.
- Before garnishing, perfectly toast the pistachios for additional flavor.
- Use warm coffee to make a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Refrigerate the frosting perfectly so it will not get softer.
- Leave the cake for an hour to set and then serve.
- We utilize high-quality cocoa powder to provide color and a richer taste.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
FRESH SIDES:
- Greek yogurt drizzled
- Fresh figs and dates
- Toasted pistachios
- Orange and mint salad
- Mixed berry compote
BEVERAGES:
- Turkish coffee
- Espresso
- Fresh mint tea
- Chamomile tea
- Unsweetened iced coffee
DESSERTS:
- Dark chocolate shavings
- Whipped Greek yogurt
- Fresh strawberries and raspberries
- Roasted almonds
- Vanilla bean yogurt
OCCASIONS:
- Edible flowers
- Cocoa powder
- Chocolate curls
- Fresh berries
- Chopped pistachios
STORAGE INFORMATION:
FRIDGE:
- Store this black cake for more than five days in a tight-fitting box.
FREEZER:
- Store these unfrosted cake layers for not less than three months.
FAQs:
May we prepare this black cake without gluten?
- Yes, you might utilize a flour blend without gluten to make this cake.
Will we prepare this black cake earlier?
- Yes, you can make this black cake a day earlier, frost it first, and then serve.
Could we utilize traditional yogurt as an alternative to Greek yogurt?
- Yes, you can utilize high-fat yogurt, as it also works perfectly.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS:
Calories: 420 kcal
Sodium: 240 mg
Net Carbs: 38 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 24 g
Fats: 24 g
Proteins: 8 g
Total Carbs: 43 g
Serving Size: 1 slice