Chocolate Ganache Cake is a deliciously fudgy and moist chocolate cake filled and topped with a decadent yet simple chocolate ganache frosting. This double layer cake is the ideal dessert for all chocolate lovers.
It's the easiest way to get your chocolate fix while enjoying an elegant dessert. Enjoy alone or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to be transported to chocolate heaven!
If you're looking for more tasty ways to use chocolate ganache, try this Fudgy Walnut Brownies with Chocolate Ganache recipe or my Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart with Candied Peanuts next!
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Nothing is better than a homemade chocolate cake with ganache. It's fudgy, incredibly moist, and has intense chocolate flavor that you just can't get from boxed cake mix.
This decadent cake is shockingly easy to make and the end result is out of this world. As soon as you sink your fork into this tender cake, you'll understand why this is the best chocolate cake you'll ever make.
A lot of chocolate ganache recipes use a double boiler above a medium saucepan to make the ganache, however, for this recipe, we're keeping it quick and easy and making the ganache in the microwave. Whisk the melted chocolate and hot cream together to make the easiest yet silkiest ganache ever. I use this method for my cosmic brownies and matcha cheesecake and it's never let me down.
Place the ganache between the cake layers and all around the sides of the cake - you can add as much or as little as you'd like. I like to pile the ganache between the layers and then lather it on top. Then slice into it and get ready to be "wowed".
I love this recipe because it can be made 2-3 days in advance which makes this the perfect dessert for holiday meals. Honestly, christmas and thanksgiving aren't complete without it, I always make this recipe for the chocolate lovers in my family. They go nuts!
Grab your ingredients because we're about to make the best chocolate ganache cake!
What is ganache?
Ganache is a mixture of chocolate, heavy whipping cream, and melted butter. The ingredients are heated and then combined. The final result is a silky, smooth, sweet chocolate ganache. Ganache is used for drip cakes, drizzles, fillings, and frosting.
Equipment
- two 8 inch cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Offset spatula (optional)
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- Chocolate chips: I used semi-sweet but you can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate if you prefer. Keep in mind, you'll want to use a good chocolate that's high-quality.
- Heavy cream: Half and half or whole milk won't cut it. For this chocolate ganache recipe, you need a thick and creamy consistency.
- Salted butter: This gives the ganache that glossy shine. Melt the butter before adding it.
Chocolate Cake
- All Purpose Flour: Measure your flour correctly! The flour scooped out of a bag is compressed. Fluff up the flour and spoon it into the measuring cup or use a kitchen scale to measure the flour for a more accurate measurement.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar and brown sugar for a nice mix of sweetness and flavor.
- Leaveners: I used both baking soda and baking powder. However, I used less baking powder because it tends to dry out cakes. I used just enough to lift the cake.
- Espresso powder and hot coffee: Including coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. You can also use instant coffee if that's what you have on hand!
- Salt: To enhance all of the flavors, this chocolate cake recipe calls for a little salt! Plus, salt and chocolate are a match made in heaven. am I right or am I right??
- Vegetable Oil: This moistens the cake and gives it a fudgy and rich texture.
- Cocoa powder: This provides the chocolate flavor. Use dutch-process cocoa powder for the best results.
- Dairy: Both sour cream and milk contain the fat needed to make this chocolate cake extra moist. This recipe also includes melted butter.
- Eggs: This is vital to providing the structure of the cake.
- Vanilla extract: vanilla extract actually works with the chocolate to enhance the chocolatey flavor!
Substitutions
- If you don't have any hot coffee, you can use hot water instead. Using a hot liquid helps bring out the chocolate flavor.
- You can use greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- To make this cake vegan and dairy free - use your favorite non-dairy alternatives in the exact measurements listed in the recipe card.
- For a gluten free option, use the 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour instead of all purpose flour.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Ganache Cake
- The longer ganache sits, the thicker it becomes which makes it easier to spread onto the cake. However, if the ganache becomes too stiff, warm ganache in the microwave in 15 second increments until the texture loosens up. 1-3 times should suffice.
- It's easier to stack cakes when they are cold or even frozen. This chocolate ganache cake is super moist so if you try to frost the cakes while they're still warm, they may break or crumble.
- Use a microwave to combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream instead of a stove. You want the mixture hot but not boiling.
- When used as frosting, the ganache needs time to set. Allow it to cool and set in the refrigerator.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- How to make chocolate ganache - Place semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a large heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave for one minute. Whisk together then microwave again for 15 seconds. Whisk together again until smooth. Slowly add the melted butter, continuously whisking. Once all the butter is incorporated, cover with plastic wrap and place chocolate ganache in the refrigerator to set.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients - melted butter, oil, cocoa powder, hot coffee, and sour cream in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture and then begin adding eggs, one at a time. Then add vanilla extract and milk and whisk until combined.
- Divide cake batter equally between two 8-inch cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before assembling the chocolate ganache cake.
- Place one of the cakes (bottom layer) onto a cake stand and add ½ of the ganache on top of the cake. Place the second layer of cake on top and ice the cake with the remaining ganache.
Recipe FAQs
Ganache is heavier than chocolate frosting because it's not whipped.
Chocolate Ganache Cake can be store at room temperature for 2-3 days covered with plastic wrap or in a cake keeper. It can also be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 7 days. After that, I recommend refrigerating or freezing it. When you are ready to eat, you can enjoy it cold or let it come back to room temperature.
You can make this rich chocolate cake 2-3 days in advance. Once they have cooled, wrap them tightly with saran wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days before assembling the chocolate ganache cake. You can also store the already made cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
- Cosmic Brownies
- Chocolate Coffee Marble Cake
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream
- Chocolate Pound Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
- Edible Brownie Batter
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Chocolate Ganache Cake
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 2 8-inch cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cups Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 8 tbsp Salted butter melted
Cake
- 2½ cups Flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
- 1½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Espresso powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Butter melted
- â…“ cup + 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Hot coffee
- ½ cup Sour cream
- 3 Eggs
- 1½ tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Â
- Make the chocolate ganache - combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a large bowl. Heat in the microwave for one minute. Whisk together then microwave again for 15 seconds. Whisk together again until smooth. (if some pieces of chocolate chips are not melted, microwave for 15 seconds again until all chocolate is melted) Slowly begin adding the melted butter, continuously whisking. Once all butter is incorporated, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to set.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt.Â
- In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, cocoa powder, hot coffee, and sour cream in a large bowl until smooth.Â
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then begin adding eggs, one at a time. Then add vanilla extract and milk and whisk until combined.
- Divide batter equally between two 8 inch cake pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.Â
- Set cakes aside and allow them to cool completely.
- Place one of the cakes onto a cake stand and add ½ of the ganache on top of the cake. Place the second cake on top and ice the cake with the remaining ganache.
Notes
- The longer ganache sits, the thicker it becomes which makes it easier to spread onto the cake. However, if the ganache becomes too stiff, warm ganache in the microwave in 15 second increments until the texture loosens up. 1-3 times should suffice.
- It's easier to stack cakes when they are cold or even frozen. This chocolate ganache cake is super moist so if you try to frost the cakes while they're still warm, they may break or crumble.
- Use a microwave to combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream instead of a stove. You want the mixture hot but not boiling.
- When used as frosting, the ganache needs time to set. Allow it to cool and set in the refrigerator.
Best chocolate cake I have ever made! Perfect with a scoop of ice cream!