Get ready for a chocolate lover’s dream come true with this rich, fudgy, and moist dark chocolate layer cake! It’s filled and frosted with silky smooth dark chocolate buttercream and adorned with a decadent dark chocolate ganache drip.
Why is this chocolate drip cake recipe a winner?
- Chocoholic’s Delight: Brace yourself for a burst of chocolatey goodness! Thanks to Dutch process cocoa powder, this cake boasts an incredible depth of flavor.
- Texture Temptation: Prepare for a texture like no other! This cake is delightfully fudgy, offering a chewy and fluffy experience in every bite.
- Buttercream Bliss: Say hello to the creamiest, most indulgent dark chocolate buttercream you’ve ever tasted. Made with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, it’s the perfect companion to this cake.
Chocolate Drip Cake
Ingredients
**For the Dark Chocolate Cake:**
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour about 250 grams
- ¾ cup of Dutch process cocoa powder around 60 grams
- 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups of granulated white sugar approximately 400 grams
- ¾ cup of softened unsalted butter about 168 grams
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups of buttermilk at room temperature (about 300 milliliters)
- ½ cup of hot coffee about 120 milliliters
**For the Dark Chocolate Buttercream:**
- 1 ½ cups of softened unsalted butter about 336 grams
- 6 ounces of chopped dark chocolate melted and slightly cooled (about 170 grams)
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of Dutch process cocoa powder about 50 grams
- 3 cups of powdered sugar about 390 grams
- 4-6 tablespoons of heavy cream about 60-90 milliliters
**For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:**
- 3 ounces of chopped dark chocolate about 85 grams
- ½ cup of heavy cream about 120 milliliters
Instructions
**For the Dark Chocolate Cake:**
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 3 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, and set them aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, alternating between them, and mixing until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and bake for 39-44 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
**For the Dark Chocolate Buttercream:**
- In a large bowl, whip the softened butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in the melted chocolate until combined.
- Sift in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, then gradually add the heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy.
**Assembling the Cake:**
- Level the cooled cake layers by removing the domed tops.
- Apply a thin layer of buttercream between each layer of cake to create a crumb coat. Chill the cake for 30 minutes.
- Apply a final layer of buttercream to the chilled cake and smooth it out.
- Make the chocolate ganache by heating cream until steaming, then pouring it over chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Chill the cake until the ganache sets.
- Pipe decorative swirls of buttercream on top of the cake and garnish with chocolate pieces or shavings.