1-Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper a 9-inch pan works too if that’s what you have on hand.

2-Whisk the dry ingredients together: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl: flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3-Whisk the wet ingredients: In a separate measuring glass, whisk the wet ingredients: olive oil, sour cream, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add this to the dry mix and whisk until just combined.

4-Add hot water: Pour in the hot water and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy it’s that simple!

5-Pour the batter and bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan, spread it evenly, and bake for 35-40 minutes for an 8-inch pan or 30-35 minutes for a 9-inch pan. The cake is ready when it’s puffed up and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

6-Cool the cake: Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then move it to a wire rack to cool for another 20 minutes until it’s barely warm.

Frosting Preparation: Once your cake has cooled a bit, it’s frosting time! Microwave the chocolate chips and olive oil in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth it takes about 90 seconds total. Stir in the sour cream and maple syrup until it’s glossy and fudgy. Pour it over the center of the warm cake, spread to the edges with swirls, and top with chopped pistachios if you like. Serve it warm for the best texture your taste buds will thank you!