Chocolate Ganache Cake
Chocolate Ganache Cake! Chocoholics, this one is for you. Super-dark and moist chocolate cake layers are filled and iced with light and luscious whipped chocolate ganache.
Table of contents
Why you’ll love Chocolate Ganache Cake
If you love a chocolate cake that is moist, fudgy, not too sweet and very, very chocolatey this is the cake for you.
The cake layers have a deep chocolate color and flavor thanks to the bloomed cocoa in the batter.
The layers are super soft and moist because the cake is made with oil rather than butter.
Chocolate ganache is much less sweet than regular chocolate frosting.
The ganache for this cake is made with a slightly higher proportion of cream to chocolate than is usual. This makes a ganache with a softer texture that whips up beautifully.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cake Flour – The low protein content in cake flour is perfect for making soft and tender cakes layers with a fine, delicate crumb. If you can find it, use bleached cake flour for the softest cake.
- Dutch Processed Cocoa – Is alkalized which gives the cocoa a richer color and flavor than “natural” cocoa powder. Mixing the cocoa with boiling water blooms the flavor. You can use natural cocoa powder with good results.
- Oil – Oil based cakes are softer than butter based cakes. I recommend a neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
- Dark Chocolate – Use a high quality dark chocolate for the silkiest ganache. I recommend using at least 55% chocolate. The higher the “percent” on the chocolate, the lower the amount of sugar. Don’t use chocolate chips because they have stabilizers and other added ingredients that may compromise the texture of the ganache.
- Heavy Cream – Heavy cream is higher in fat content than “whipping” cream. Higher fat content makes a richer ganache.
How to make Chocolate Ganache Cake
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder.
- Whisk the cocoa until smooth and set aside to cool.
- Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
- Combine the milk, oil, vanilla and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs and mix to emulsify the ingredients.
- Add the flour and the cocoa mixture to the bowl.
- Mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will be quite wet.
- Divide the batter between two 8″x3″ pans.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake come out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool the layers completely before assembling the cake.
- Pour scalding hot cream over the chopped chocolate.
- Do not stir for several minutes to allow the chocolate to start melting.
- Stir the ganache to combine.
- Cover the ganache and keep it at room temperature until set.
- The ganache should be set but still soft.
- Trim the top of the cakes to level and split each cake in 2 for a total of 4 layers.
- Whip the ganache until it is aerated and lightens in color. This will just take 1-2 minutes.
- Use the whipped ganache immediately to fill and ice the cake layers.
Recipe Tips
- Trim the tops of the cakes to level. To build a straight cake, flip the cakes so that the flat side of one is on the bottom and the flat side of the other is on top.
- The cakes can be baked ahead, wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for 1-2 days before assembling. The cakes can also be frozen for up to a month. Defrost before slicing and assembling the layers.
- The ganache can be held at room temperature for a day or frozen for up to a month. Bring it back to room temperature before whipping.
Storage
Chocolate ganache cake will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days. The cake can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month. Bring back to room temperature before serving.
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Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipe
Chocolate Ganache Cake! Super-dark and moist chocolate cake layers are filled and iced with light and luscious whipped chocolate ganache. This is a chocoholic's dream cake.
servings
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Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 ounces Dutch process cocoa powder (½ cup)
- 4 ounces boiling water (½ cup)
- 9 ounces cake flour (2 cups, see note)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 8 ounces vegetable oil (1 cup)
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces whole milk (1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 16 ounces granulated sugar (2 cups)
Ganache
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 20 oz heavy cream (2 ½ cups)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of two 8"x3" round cake pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour the bottom of the pans (don't butter/flour the sides).
- Combine 2 ounces Dutch process cocoa powder and 4 ounces boiling water in a small heat-proof bowl. Whisk to combine then set aside to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
- Sift 9 ounces cake flour with 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon table salt, set aside.
- Combine 8 ounces vegetable oil, 4 large eggs, 8 ounces whole milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 16 ounces granulated sugar in a mixer bowl. Mix on medium speed to combine the ingredients, continue mixing for 2-3 minutes to emulsify the ingredients.
- With the mixer running on low, add the flour and then add the cocoa mixture. Mix until completely incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed or a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.
Make the Ganache
- Chop 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces, none larger than 1/2" or chop roughly and finish chopping in a food processor. Place the the chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl.
- Pour 20 oz heavy cream into a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat until scalding. You want to get the cream as hot as you can without it boiling over.
- Pour the cream all at once over the chocolate. Do not stir for 2-3 minutes to allow the chocolate to begin melting. Gently stir, trying not to incorporate any air, until all the chocolate bits are melted.
- Cover the bowl and set the ganache aside at room temperature to cool completely.
Assembly
- If needed, trim the tops of the cake to make them level. Split each of the cakes horizontally so you have 4 layers. Arrange the layers so that the flat sides of each cake are at the bottom and top of the stack (see process photos).
- Your ganache should be set and at room temperature. If your ganache has gotten cold microwave it briefly to soften it a bit. The ganache will whip up better if it it's softer rather than very firm. Whip the ganache on medium speed until it lightens in color and texture.
- Use about half of the whipped ganache to fill and stack the layers. Use the remaining ganache to ice the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving platter.
Equipment
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
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Do you think this recipe can be used to make a Guinness Chocolate Cake with Baileys whipped cream if I substitute the hot water with coffee and boiled down Guinness to equal liquid? Trying to duplicate an amazing light cake I had in Ireland
Yes, I think that would probably work. Why the coffee and not just Guinness? Did the original cake have a coffee flavor? Also, you could replace some of the milk with Guinness too.