Introduction

This is Gemma’s Best-Ever Chocolate Cake topped with a luscious whipped dark chocolate ganache. Rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey, it’s perfect for any celebration or a special treat. The whipped ganache adds a light yet indulgent finish to this classic dessert.

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

Ingredients

½ cup (2 oz/57g) cocoa powder
1/3 cup (2 oz/57g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) very hot coffee
½ cup (4 fl oz/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
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

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

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8 or 9 inch (20 or 23 cm) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, butter the parchment, and then flour the pans.
Step 2: In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, chopped chocolate, and hot coffee. Stir and let cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Once cool, whisk in the oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Step 4: In another bowl, mix together the cake flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Step 5: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for a few minutes until fluffy.
Step 6: Add the chocolate mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, blending until very well combined.
Step 7: Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two or three increments, scraping down the bowl sides after each addition. Mix just until evenly combined; avoid overmixing.
Step 8: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 9: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 10: To make the ganache, place the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Warm the heavy cream over medium heat until it just starts to simmer around the edges.
Step 11: Pour the hot cream over the chocolate without stirring. Let it sit for 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.
Step 12: After 10 minutes, slowly whisk the mixture starting with small circles in the center, gradually widening the whisking motion to combine all the cream and chocolate.
Step 13: The ganache will be thin at this stage. Cool it to a thick custard consistency by refrigerating and stirring every 10 minutes.
Step 14: Once cooled, whip the ganache with softened butter in a stand mixer or with a handheld whisk on high speed for about one minute, until light and fluffy. Avoid overwhipping.
Step 15: When the cakes are fully cooled, split each cake layer in half to create four layers.
Step 16: Place a spoonful of ganache on the serving plate and layer the cake pieces, spreading about ½ cup of ganache between each layer.
Step 17: Apply a thin crumb coat of ganache over the top and sides, then refrigerate to firm up.
Step 18: Once firm, spread a thicker, decorative layer of ganache. Remove any parchment or foil used to keep the plate clean and touch up as needed.

Tips & Variations

For extra moisture, use freshly brewed espresso instead of hot coffee to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Ensure the ganache is fully cooled before whipping to achieve the best fluffy texture.
You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt for a slightly tangier cake.
Decorate with fresh berries or chopped nuts for added texture and contrast.

Storage

Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days to prevent drying out, unless your kitchen is very warm. For longer storage, freeze the cake in an airtight container for up to two months and thaw at room temperature before serving. Extra whipped ganache can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen for up to two months.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet or dark chocolate for the ganache?

It’s best to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate with no more than 60% cocoa for a balanced, rich ganache. Milk chocolate tends to be too sweet and may result in a thinner, less stable ganache.

How do I prevent the ganache from becoming grainy when whipping?

Make sure the ganache is completely cool to the consistency of thick custard before whipping. Also, avoid overwhipping as this can cause the ganache to separate and become grainy.

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

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4.9 from 68 reviews

Gemma’s Best-Ever Chocolate Cake is a rich, moist chocolate cake made with a blend of cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, and hot coffee, layered and frosted with a luscious whipped dark chocolate ganache. This decadent dessert is perfect for chocolate lovers and special occasions, featuring a smooth and creamy ganache that is whipped to fluffy perfection for an elegant finish.

Author: Dylan
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

½ cup (2 oz/57g) cocoa powder
1/3 cup (2 oz/57g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) very hot coffee
½ cup (4 fl oz/115 ml) neutral-flavored vegetable oil
½ cup (4 oz/115g) sour cream
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons (0.3 oz/8.5g) vanilla extract
2 cups (10 oz/284g) cake flour
½ teaspoon (0.1 oz/3g) salt
1 teaspoon (0.2 oz/6g) baking soda
½ cup (4 oz/115g) butter, softened
2 cups (12 oz/340g) brown sugar

Whipped Dark Chocolate Ganache

4 cups (24 oz/680g) 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/57g) softened butter

Instructions

Prepare the 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 paper and lightly flour the pans to prevent sticking.
Make the chocolate mixture: In a bowl, combine cocoa powder, finely chopped unsweetened chocolate, and very hot coffee. Stir until smooth and let cool to room temperature.
Add wet ingredients: Once the chocolate mixture is cooled, thoroughly whisk in the vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Combine chocolate and butter mixture: Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Blend until fully incorporated.
Add dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two or three increments, mixing gently and scraping the bowl sides and bottom between additions. Mix just until evenly combined to avoid overmixing.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
Make the ganache: While the cakes bake, place the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a pan over medium heat until edges just start to simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Stir ganache: After 10 minutes, whisk the chocolate and cream together with small circles gradually widening to combine all. The ganache will be thin at first and will thicken as it cools.
Chill ganache: To speed cooling, refrigerate the ganache, stirring every 10 minutes until it reaches a thick custard-like consistency, ready to whip.
Whip ganache: Transfer ganache to a stand mixer bowl, add softened butter, and whisk on high speed for about one minute until light and fluffy. Avoid overwhipping to prevent graininess.
Assemble the cake: Split each cake layer in half horizontally to create four layers in total. Place a spoonful of ganache on your serving plate to anchor the first layer, then stack layers, spreading about ½ cup of ganache between each.
Apply crumb coat: Frost the top and sides of the stacked cake with a thin layer of ganache to seal in crumbs, then refrigerate until firm.
Final frosting: Once the crumb coat is firm, apply a thick decorative layer of whipped ganache. Remove any parchment or foil under the cake and tidy the base as needed.
Storage: Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days to avoid drying out. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Extra ganache can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or frozen for two months.

Notes

Be careful not to overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and moist.
Whip the ganache just until light and fluffy; overwhipping can cause it to become grainy.
Use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil to avoid overpowering the chocolate flavor.
Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the ganache from melting.
To keep your serving plate clean while assembling, slide small pieces of parchment or foil under the cake edges.
If not serving immediately, keep the cake covered at room temperature to maintain moisture.
You can freeze leftover ganache and cake layers separately for future use.

Keywords: chocolate cake, whipped ganache, chocolate dessert, layered cake, Gemma’s chocolate cake, rich chocolate cake, chocolate ganache frosting