Chocolate Cake
This cake is for serious chocolate lovers. The batter gets a secret boost from espresso powder, which makes the chocolate flavor even deeper without tasting like coffee. It’s finished with a whipped salted dark chocolate ganache that feels rich and airy all at once, then topped with either mini chocolate chips or delicate shavings for that extra texture. The result is a cake that looks impressive but feels effortless, the kind of dessert that gets people talking before the first bite. It’s decadent, a little dramatic, and exactly what you want when chocolate is the only answer.
Chocolate Cake
Triple chocolate cake with a hint of espresso, whipped salted dark chocolate ganache, and a topping of mini chips or chocolate shavings.
Equipment
- 3 9" cake pans or 8"
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 large bowl
- whisk
- baking spray
- small saucepan
- electric mixer
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 ¼ sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, or whole milk with 1 tbsp white vinegar room temperature
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 1 tbsp vanilla
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 chocolate bar or mini chocolate chips we like salted dark chocolate bar
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Gather ingredients. Mix the 2/3 cup warm water with the tablespoon of instant espresso powder. Allow items to come to room temperature. Spray cake pans with baking spray. Preheat the oven to 325℉.
- In the medium bowl use the whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and set aside. Optional to use a sifter if you have one.
- In the large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, and sour cream until smooth. Add in the oil, buttermilk, espresso with water, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until everything is combined. Pour batter evenly into the 3 cake pans. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then remove the cakes and place in refrigerator to cool completely.
Whipped Salted Chocolate Ganache
- Pour the chocolate chips into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until just before it boils. Then pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Mix on low speed to melt the chocolate and make the ganache. Once mixed well, add the cup or powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on 2-3 speed until shiny and smooth about 3 minutes. Do not refrigerate.
- Once cakes are cool, assemble the 3 layer cake by spreading the icing and stacking the cake layers. Top with mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings to decorate.
- *This does not make enough to ice all the layers and outside of the cake. However, ganache is much richer than butter cream, so there is more than enough to get that "cake and frosting" flavor. If you like more, you can double the recipe or use a buttercream instead.