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

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★★★★★

4.9 from 120 reviews

This Best-Ever Chocolate Cake recipe by Gemma features a rich, moist chocolate cake made with cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, and hot coffee for deep flavor. The cake is layered and frosted with a luscious whipped dark chocolate ganache made from semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream, and butter. Perfect for chocolate lovers, this cake is elegant, indulgent, and moist with a smooth, fluffy ganache finish.

Ingredients

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Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

  • ½ cup (2 oz/57g) cocoa powder
  • 1/3 cup (2 oz/57g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (8 floz/225 ml) very hot coffee
  • ½ cup (4 floz/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, then line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and flour the pans to prevent sticking.
  2. Make Chocolate Mixture: In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, chopped unsweetened chocolate, and hot coffee. Stir until combined and let cool to room temperature.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk into the cooled chocolate mixture the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking soda.
  5. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for several minutes until light and fluffy.
  6. Combine Mixtures: Add the chocolate mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and blend until well combined.
  7. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture in two or three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl with each addition. Mix only until just combined to avoid overmixing.
  8. Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
  10. Prepare Ganache: Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a pan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 10 minutes without stirring.
  11. Incorporate Ganache: After 10 minutes, gently stir the mixture with a whisk starting in small circles, gradually widening until all chocolate and cream are combined into a thin ganache. Cool to thick custard consistency, stirring every 10 minutes and refrigerating if needed to speed cooling.
  12. Whip Ganache: Once thickened and cool, whip the ganache with softened butter with a stand mixer or whisk for about one minute until light and fluffy. Avoid overwhipping.
  13. Assemble the Cake: Slice each cake layer horizontally to create 4 thin layers total. Place a spoonful of ganache on your serving plate, then layer cake and spread about ½ cup of ganache between each layer.
  14. Crumb Coat: Apply a thin crumb coat of ganache around the entire cake and refrigerate until firm to touch.
  15. Final Frosting: Apply the remaining thick layer of ganache decoratively on the chilled cake. Remove parchment or foil placed under the cake and tidy the edges.
  16. Storage: Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Ganache can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen for 2 months.

Notes

  • Use high-quality unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder for the best flavor.
  • Ensure coffee is hot to help dissolve chocolate and enhance flavor but cool before mixing with eggs to prevent curdling.
  • Do not overmix batter after adding dry ingredients to keep cake tender.
  • Whip ganache carefully to avoid grainy texture.
  • Use parchment or foil under the cake during assembly to keep serving plate clean.
  • Cake layers can be sliced horizontally for more layers and ganache between them.
  • Store cake properly to maintain moisture; avoid refrigerating uncovered cake to prevent drying.

Keywords: chocolate cake, whipped chocolate ganache, best chocolate cake, moist chocolate cake, layered cake, chocolate dessert

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