Let’s talk about the ultimate treat in our home: chocolate cake! Whether it’s a birthday bash or celebrating milestones, this chocolate cake with its luscious chocolate ganache icing steals the spotlight every time. It’s not just about the taste; this cake’s magic lies in its simplicity – everything comes together in one bowl. We’ve dubbed it our version of the Matilda cake, featuring three decadent layers of moist chocolate goodness, each sandwiched with creamy, dreamy chocolate ganache. Trust us, it’s the chocolate cake dreams are made of.
Here are some tips to nail your chocolate cake game:
- Get the Weights Right: Accuracy is key, especially with cocoa powder and flour. We recommend weighing them for precision.
- Quality Cocoa Powder: Choose the good stuff for an extra punch of chocolatey goodness.
- Hot Coffee Boost: Adding hot coffee to the batter elevates the richness of the chocolate flavor – trust us, it’s a game-changer.
- Prep Your Pan: Don’t forget to grease and flour your cake pan properly for easy cake release. Parchment paper with a spritz of cooking spray works wonders too.
- Cool Down: Patience pays off – let your cake cool completely before diving into icing for the perfect finish.
The Best Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Black Magic Cake:
- – 2 2/3 cups of flour about 320 grams
- – 3 cups of sugar about 600 grams
- – 1 1/8 cups of cocoa powder about 135 grams
- – 1 tablespoon of baking soda about 17 grams
- – 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder about 6 grams
- – 1.5 teaspoons of salt about 5 grams
- – 3 eggs
- – 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract about 15 ml
- – 1.5 cups of buttermilk about 350 ml
- – 3/4 cup of canola or vegetable oil about 175 ml
- – 1.5 cups of hot coffee about 350 ml
For the Ganache:
- – 8 ounces of dark chocolate 70%
- – 6 tablespoons of butter about 85 grams
- – 1 1/4 cups of sugar about 250 grams
- – 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream about 300 ml
- – 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract about 10 ml
- – A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans.
- In a bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and oil to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour in the hot coffee and stir until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Let the cakes cool before removing them from the pans.
For the Ganache:
- Combine chocolate, butter, salt, and vanilla in a bowl.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, heat cream and sugar until hot but not boiling.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and let it sit for a minute before stirring until smooth.
- Let the ganache cool until it thickens but is still spreadable.
- Ice the cooled cakes with the ganache.