• 150 millilitres regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
• 50 grams good-quality cocoa powder (sifted)
• 2 teaspoons best vanilla extract
• 150 grams ground almonds (or 125g plain flour / 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 200 grams caster sugar
• 3 large eggs

METHOD

• Set your oven to 170 degrees Celsius or 150 degrees Celsius, with a fan or gas mark of 3 or 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a springform tin of 22 or 23 centimeters (9 inches) in diameter with a little amount of oil and line the base with baking parchment.
• The cocoa powder should be measured and sifted into a dish or jug. Then, using a whisk, incorporate 125 milliliters or half a cup of boiling water until you achieve a paste that is smooth, chocolatey, and still slightly runny. Add the vanilla essence and whisk it in, then set it aside to cool down a little bit.
• It is recommended that you combine the ground almonds (or flour) with the bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl of a similar size.
• Put the sugar, olive oil, and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or any other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice), and beat them together vigorously for around three minutes until you have a cream that is pale-primrose in color, aerated, and thickened.
• Reduce the speed of the mixer slightly and pour in the cocoa mixture while continuing to beat. Once all of the cocoa mixture has been scraped in, you can gradually add the ground almond (or flour) combination with a gentle and steady hand.
• After scraping down the mixture and giving it a light swirl with a spatula, pour this dark, liquid batter into the tin that has been prepared. Bake the cake for forty to forty-five minutes, or until the sides are firm and the very center, which is on top, appears to be even little damp. It is expected that a cake tester will come out largely clean, but it may have a few chocolate crumbs that are too sticky to remove.
• The cake should be allowed to cool for ten minutes on a wire rack while it is still in its pan. After that, using a tiny metal spatula, gently ease the sides of the cake and then spring it out of the tin. Consume the pudding while it is still warm, accompanied by some ice cream, or wait until it has completely cooled down.