Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
55 min
|
intermediate
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
I don't mess around with dry cake; this one is ultra moist and cocoa-deep, boosted with hot coffee and blanketed in a silky, glossy ganache.
Perfect for birthdays, date nights, or a treat-yourself Tuesday, it leans on pantry staples, mixes up fast, and slices clean like a bakery classic.
Ingredients (12 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cake
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.48 lb
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder unsweetened cocoa powder 3.27 oz
- 2 cups granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder baking powder 0.33 oz
- 1 tsp baking soda baking soda 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 2 eggs large eggs 2 ct
- 1 cup whole milk whole milk 8 fl oz
- ½ cup vegetable oil vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
- 1 cup hot coffee brewed coffee
Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips semi-sweet chocolate chips 8 oz
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream heavy cream 4 fl oz
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (for shine, optional) unsalted butter 0.5 oz
How to Make Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache
-
Prep pans and heat oven
Heat the oven to 350 F or 175 C.
Grease two 9 inch round pans or one 9 by 13 pan, line the bottoms with parchment, and dust with cocoa to keep that chocolate purity.
-
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl whisk flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and lump free.
If your cocoa is clumpy, sift it first so the crumb bakes up tender and even.
-
Mix the wet ingredients
In a second bowl whisk eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy.
Room temperature eggs blend cleaner and help the cake rise evenly.
-
Combine wet and dry
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk just until mostly smooth with a few streaks of flour remaining.
Do not overmix or you will toughen the crumb and I am not babysitting a dry cake.
-
Add the hot coffee
Whisk in the hot coffee until the batter turns thin and glossy.
The batter should be pourable like heavy cream, so relax, that is exactly right.
-
Bake
Divide batter between the prepared pans or pour into the 9 by 13 pan and tap lightly to pop big air bubbles.
Bake rounds for 28 to 32 minutes or a 9 by 13 for 32 to 36 minutes until the center springs back and a toothpick has a few moist crumbs.
-
Cool completely
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, peel off parchment, and cool until no warmth remains.
Frosting a warm cake turns ganache into a slip and slide, so do not rush this.
-
Make the ganache
Place chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the cream until just simmering on the edges, then pour over the chocolate and let sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.
Stir from the center outward until smooth and glossy, then whisk in the butter for extra shine if using.
-
Adjust ganache texture
For a pourable glaze use while warm and fluid.
For a spreadable frosting let it stand 15 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a soft peanut butter consistency.
-
Assemble and finish
Set the first layer on a board, spread about one third of the ganache over the top, and stack the second layer.
Swipe on a thin crumb coat, chill 15 minutes, then finish with the remaining ganache using long, confident strokes with an offset spatula.
Substitutions
- Coffee -> Hot water with espresso powder or just hot water
- Use 1 cup hot water with 1 teaspoon espresso powder or plain hot water to keep the batter texture correct while still blooming the cocoa, with slightly less roasty depth.
- Whole milk -> Buttermilk
- Swap 1 cup buttermilk for extra tenderness and a gentle tang that balances the sweetness while keeping the crumb plush.
- Heavy cream in ganache -> Coconut cream
- Use 1/2 cup full-fat coconut cream heated to steamy for a dairy-free ganache that stays shiny and sets softly with a faint coconut perfume that plays well with chocolate.
Tips
- Bloom that cocoa
- The hot coffee wakes up cocoa solids, deepening color and flavor without extra bitterness.
- Weigh or spoon-and-level
- Too much flour is the fastest route to a dry cake, so weigh ingredients or spoon flour into the cup and level it flat.
- Use parchment, not prayers
- Line pan bottoms with parchment circles so the layers release cleanly and stay intact for frosting.
- Thermometer check for doneness
- A digital probe in the cake center should read about 205 F for a fully baked but still moist crumb.
- Ganache rescue plan
- If ganache looks grainy, warm it gently and blend with an immersion blender to re-emulsify into silk.
- Crumb coat for control
- A quick thin coat of ganache traps loose crumbs so your final layer looks sharp without fuss.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 492 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 8 | g |
| Total Fat | 21 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 74 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My batter seems really thin, did I mess up?
- No, this batter should be thin because the hot coffee loosens it and gives a moist, even crumb, so trust the pour.
- Can I use Dutch-process cocoa instead of natural?
- Yes, the mix of baking powder and baking soda can handle either, and Dutch-process will give a deeper color and smoother chocolate flavor.
- Why did my cake sink in the middle?
- It was likely underbaked or your oven runs cool, so bake until the center springs back, use an oven thermometer, and avoid opening the door early.
- My ganache is too thin or too thick, how do I fix it?
- If too thin, let it cool longer or whisk in a small handful of extra chips while warm, and if too thick, warm it gently or stir in a tablespoon of hot cream.
- How do I convert this to cupcakes?
- Fill liners two thirds full and bake at 350 F for 18 to 20 minutes for about 24 cupcakes, then spoon or pipe ganache once cooled.
- How should I store the finished cake?
- Keep covered at cool room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days, and you can freeze unfrosted layers double wrapped for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
Strong coffee on the side is classic, but fresh raspberries or a whisper of orange zest in the ganache turns the chocolate into a full-on flirt.
A tiny pinch of flaky salt on top right before serving sharpens the chocolate and makes every bite pop like a pro-level dessert without extra fuss.
More pairings:
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
