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Chocolate cake with ganache frosting.
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Chocolate Cake Recipe

Moist chocolate cake layers, light chocolate ganache frosting, and chocolate shards that are so easy to make.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 50 minutes
Refrigerate 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 703kcal
Author Nora Rey
Cost $10-$12

Equipment

  • three 6-inch or two 8-inch round pans
  • Mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale)
  • Whisk
  • Strainer or fine-mesh sieve
  • Rubber and offset spatulas

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour sub:white whole wheat flour
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt use half for table salt
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder preferably Dutch-process (see note)
  • ¾ cup strong hot coffee
  • 3 ounces dark chocolate (semisweet or bittersweet) finely chopped (see note)
  • 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
  • 2 extra-large eggs room temperature
  • ½ cup canola, avocado, or other vegetable oil (see note)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

  • 1½ cups heavy cream hot
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate - semisweet or bittersweet finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces

For the shards

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate - semisweet or bittersweet finely chopped (see note)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the frosting

  • Combine 12 ounces chopped chocolate, butter, and hot heavy cream in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
  • Refrigerate until medium-thick and spreadable, about 2 hours.

Make the cake layers

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C).
  • Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • In a medium bowl, melt 3 ounces of chocolate in hot coffee. Add buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
  • Divide the batter between your greased and lined pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes—a toothpick inserted should come out almost clean. Let them cool.

Make the shards

  • Melt chocolate in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes in 30-second intervals. Mix until smooth.
  • With an offset spatula, spread the melted chocolate thinly on parchment paper, approximately 12” x 16” in size. Place another sheet of the same size on top. Roll it up and seal with tape.
  • Refrigerate for a few minutes or until it has firmed up. Unroll when ready to decorate the cake.

Assemble the cake

  • Fill the cake layers with a thin layer of frosting (about ½ cup) and spread evenly. Use the rest of the frosting to cover the cake.
  • Decorate the cake with chocolate shards all around. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-process cocoa powder results in a darker, fudgier cake. I used Hershey's "Special Dark" Cocoa Powder.
  • Oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil like canola, avocado, or other vegetable oils. Mild-tasting oils like coconut and olive oil also work great.
  • Dark chocolate: Use bars, chips, or wafers with a high cocoa percentage (semisweet or bittersweet).
  • Buttermilk: Create a buttermilk substitute by combing slightly less than a cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice until thick and curdled, or use other cultured dairy products like yogurt or sour cream diluted with water.

Nutrition

Calories: 703kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 646IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 7mg