Description
This Chocolate Ganache Cake is dramatic in the best way—moist chocolate layers with a silky, glossy ganache that looks bakery-level but is totally doable at home. Beginner-friendly steps, simple ingredients, and pro tips for perfect drips and clean slices—every time.
Ingredients
CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar)
1/2 cup neutral oil (canola/vegetable)
1 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
GANACHE
12 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate (chopped or chips)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter (optional, for extra shine)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Whisk until smooth.
4. Slowly pour in hot coffee (or hot water) while whisking until combined. Batter will be thin—this is correct.
5. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
7. Make ganache: place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream until steaming and just barely simmering (don’t boil hard).
8. Pour hot cream over chocolate. Let sit 2–3 minutes without stirring.
9. Whisk from the center outward until glossy and smooth. Stir in butter/vanilla/salt if using.
10. Let ganache cool to desired thickness: pourable when warm; spreadable when thicker (like soft peanut butter).
11. Assemble: spread a thick layer of ganache on one cake layer, add the second layer on top.
12. Frost top and sides with ganache (or pour for a drip look).
13. Chill 20–30 minutes to set for cleaner slices. Slice with a warm knife for bakery-neat cuts.
Notes
Cool the cake layers completely before frosting—warm cake will make ganache slide.
If ganache looks grainy or split, whisk in 1–2 tsp warm cream and mix gently (an immersion blender can help).
If ganache is too runny, let it sit and thicken; if too thick, warm in 5–10 second bursts, stirring between.
Storage: cover and refrigerate up to 5 days; let slices sit out 20–30 minutes before serving for best texture.
Make-ahead: bake layers 1 day ahead; assemble day-of for the glossiest finish.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 44g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 70g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 85mg