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Chocolate Ganache Cake
Mia

Chocolate Ganache Cake

Satisfy your deepest chocolate cravings with this stunningly simple and decadent Chocolate Ganache Cake! It’s a quick, flavorful, and elegant single-layer cake that’s perfect for an intimate celebration or a cozy night in.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 262
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake:
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup flavorless oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado
  • ½ cup buttermilk or ½ cup milk + ½ tablespoon vinegar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
For the Chocolate Ganache:
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 75 grams good quality chocolate milk, semi-sweet, or dark

Equipment

  • 9-inch Round Cake Pan
  • Parchment Paper

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round or square cake pan, line it with parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper as well.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, and buttermilk until smooth.
    1 large egg, ⅓ cup flavorless oil, ½ cup buttermilk
  3. Add the granulated sugar to the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
    ¾ cup granulated sugar
  4. Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
  5. Gently whisk the dry and wet ingredients together until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
  6. In a small cup, dissolve the instant coffee in the ¼ cup of boiling water. Pour this hot coffee into the batter and whisk until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
    ¼ cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. To Make the Chocolate Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
    75 grams good quality chocolate
  10. Heat the heavy cream in a microwave or saucepan until it is steaming hot and just begins to simmer.
    ¼ cup heavy cream
  11. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, cover the bowl, and let it sit for 4-5 minutes.
  12. After resting, whisk the mixture until it is smooth, shiny, and fully combined into a pourable ganache.
  13. Let the ganache sit for 2-3 more minutes to thicken slightly.
  14. Pour the ganache over the completely cooled cake, using a spatula to guide it over the edges for a beautiful drip effect.
  15. Allow the ganache to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Success Tips & Variations: The instant coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. You can substitute the buttermilk with a ½ cup milk mixed with ½ tablespoon of vinegar. For a larger cake, double the recipe and bake in a 9x13-inch pan. The cake can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months. The ganache can be made a day ahead and gently warmed before using.