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Gemma’s Best-Ever Chocolate Cake with Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 79 reviews

Gemma’s Best-Ever Chocolate Cake with Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache is a rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey layer cake. Featuring a deeply flavored chocolate cake enhanced with hot coffee and a luscious whipped dark chocolate ganache made from semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream. This recipe includes detailed instructions for baking, making the ganache, and assembling a beautiful four-layer cake perfect for celebrations or indulgent dessert moments.

Ingredients

Scale

Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

  • ½ cup (2 oz/57g) cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup (2 oz/57g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) very hot coffee
  • ½ cup (4 fl oz/115 ml) neutral-flavored vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons (0.3 oz/8.5 g) vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) cake flour
  • ½ teaspoon (0.1 oz/3 g) salt
  • 1 teaspoon (0.2 oz/6 g) baking soda
  • ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter, softened
  • 2 cups (12 oz/340 g) brown sugar

Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache

  • 4 cups (24 oz/680 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate (no more than 60% cocoa), chopped very fine
  • 4 cups (30 oz/900 ml) heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) softened butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8 or 9-inch (20 or 23 cm) round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the parchment, then flour the pans to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Chocolate Base: In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, chopped unsweetened chocolate, and very hot coffee. Stir until smooth and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Once the chocolate mixture is cool, whisk in the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract thoroughly. Set this mixture aside.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  6. Combine All Ingredients: Add the chocolate mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, blending until very well combined. Then add the dry ingredients in two or three increments, scraping down the bowl between additions. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing to keep the cake tender.
  7. Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool the Cake: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and allow to cool completely.
  9. Make the Ganache: Place finely chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream in a pan over medium heat until edges start to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate without stirring and let sit for 10 minutes.
  10. Stir Ganache: After 10 minutes, gently whisk the cream and chocolate together in small circles until the mixture begins to come together, then widen the circles to incorporate all the cream and chocolate. The ganache will be thin initially.
  11. Cool Ganache: Allow ganache to cool to thick custard consistency by refrigerating, stirring every 10 minutes to speed cooling.
  12. Whip Ganache: Transfer cooled ganache to a stand mixer bowl, add softened butter, and whip on high for about one minute until light and fluffy. Avoid overwhipping to prevent graininess.
  13. Assemble the Cake: Split each cooled cake layer horizontally in half to create four layers. Place a spoonful of ganache on the serving plate to anchor the first layer.
  14. Layer the Cake: Stack cake layers, spreading about ½ cup of whipped ganache evenly between each layer. Use parchment or foil slips under edges to keep the plate clean.
  15. Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of ganache over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate to firm this layer.
  16. Final Frosting: Once the crumb coat is firm, apply a thick, decorative layer of ganache to finish frosting the cake. Carefully remove parchment or foil and smooth the bottom edges.
  17. Storage: Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. Extra ganache can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen for up to two months.

Notes

  • Use very hot coffee to enhance the chocolate flavor in the cake.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to maintain cake tenderness.
  • Whipping ganache too long can cause it to become grainy; stop once light and fluffy.
  • Use parchment or foil strips under cake edges during assembly to keep the serving plate clean.
  • Let the ganache cool completely before whipping for best texture.
  • Store cakes properly to prevent drying out; refrigeration is recommended only after crumb coating.
  • The cake is best served at room temperature for optimal flavor and texture.

Keywords: chocolate cake, whipped chocolate ganache, layer cake, dessert, rich chocolate cake

Find it online: https://cheframiflavor.com/gemmas-best-ever-chocolate-cake-with-whipped-dark-chocolate-ganache-recipe/