Chocolate Olive Oil Cake with Djuna

Dear mang'Oh family,

We have a sweet offering from our teacher Djuna today, please enjoy:

Many of you have heard me share stories about my grandmother. A few weeks ago before class, I shared what I hold to be the most important nugget of wisdom she left me with – chocolate is good for the soul. This was a woman who survived two world wars, the Great Depression, and the Holocaust – she knew what she was talking about. (Maybe don't put her theory that ice cream has no calories because it melts in your mouth to test.)

A little known fact about me, I love to bake. I find it very meditative and calming. I want to share with you one of my go-to chocolate cake recipes. It is super simple and you likely have all the ingredients already.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • ¾ cup olive oil (if you have flavored lemon, orange, and lavender are great options)

  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 2 cups cold water

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F (175° C)

  2. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl

  3. Add wet ingredients to bowl and mix well

  4. Pour batter into an ungreased 9x13 cake pan (a 9-inch brownie pan works well too)

  5. Bake 30-40 minutes (until a tooth pick inserted at the center comes out clean)

I personally enjoy this cake without icing, but feel free top with icing or ganache.

Enjoy! And remember, it’s good for the soul.

Love,
Djuna

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A Meditation on Liminality by Richard Rohr

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Cleansing Exercise with Annie H.