Description
This simple, moist chocolate cake recipe makes a soft, tender cake rich in chocolate flavor! Topped with a silky chocolate fudge frosting, this cake is a chocolate lover’s dream.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chocolate cake:
- 3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (90g)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (350g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil, or another neutral oil (150g)
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar (575g)
- 3/4 cup sour cream, full-fat preferred (168g)
- 1 cup hot coffee (or decaf) (226g)
For the chocolate fudge frosting:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (260g)
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup, or honey
- 10 ounces dark chocolate (50%-70% cocoa solids), chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (30g)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened and cubed (56g)
Instructions
Prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with the fan) or 350°F conventional (without the fan). Spray and line 2 (or 3) 8 or 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Into a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients: cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous. Slowly pour the oil into the eggs while whisking to create an emulsion.
- Add the sugar to the bowl and whisk until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in the sour cream.
- Alternately add the flour and hot coffee to the wet ingredients in 3 additions. I add about 1/3 of each at the same time, then whisk until no lumps remain. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and coffee.
- Divide the cake batter between the round cake pans and bake in the preheated oven. I made two layers, each 850g, and baked them for 32 minutes. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean or with just a few slightly moist crumbs.
- Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then run a paring knife around the edge and flip it out onto the rack. You can cool it upside down or use a second wire rack to flip it back over. Prepare the chocolate frosting:
- In a large heat-proof bowl, add chopped chocolate, vanilla extract, light corn syrup and salt. In a small saucepan, bring whipping cream just to a boil. Pour over the chocolate, shaking to distribute and cover it.
- Allow to sit for 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk, starting from the center and working your way out to create an emulsion. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk to incorporate.
- Add butter to the still-hot ganache. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently stir in one direction until all the butter has melted and incorporated into the ganache.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature. You can speed it up by putting it in the fridge, pulling back the wrappings, stirring every 10 minutes, and recovering. I recommend doing this if your room is warm. Mine was about 70°F, so it cooled to room temperature in a little under 2 hours.
- Spread about a cup onto the cooled cake layer at room temperature and spread out to the edges. Turn the other cake layer on top and add about another cup of frosting to the top.
- Use the remaining frosting to frost a thin layer around the edges. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the frosting on top of the cake, leaving it imperfectly swirled! Just keep going to get some variation, then stop! It is never done, so you just have to pick your moment.
Notes
- Yield – 1, 2, or 3 layered cake.
- Presentation – This cake is best served at room temperature. If kept in the fridge, I suggest leaving it out for an hour or two, depending on the temperature of your room.
- Flavor Tips—Use chocolate with 50% cocoa solids for a mellower, slightly sweeter frosting. I use 60% for a richer, less sweet frosting.
- Storage –Store the unfrosted chocolate cake well-wrapped at room temperature or in the freezer. Unfrosted cake can be kept at room temperature for three days, in the fridge for a week, or frozen for up to two months! Store unused frosting in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Once frosted, the cake can be kept at room temperature for up to three days.