Description
Moist chocolate layer cake with a cloudlike cream center and shiny chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Scale
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 g (2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 10 g (2 tsp) baking powder
- 5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) neutral oil
- 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 10 ml (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar (for simple syrup)
- 50 ml (1/4 cup) water (for simple syrup)
- 480 ml (2 cups) heavy cream (for filling)
- 60 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar (for filling)
- 2 tsp vanilla (for filling)
- 1 tsp unflavored gelatin (or 1 tbsp powdered gelatin alternative)
- 300 g (10.5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped (for ganache)
- 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream (for ganache)
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup (for ganache)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease two 9-inch round pans and line with parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
- Whisk eggs, milk, oil, melted butter, and vanilla in a separate bowl and combine with dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Combine sugar and water in a saucepan for simple syrup, simmer until dissolved.
- Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks, then add dissolved gelatin.
- Brush each cake layer with simple syrup while warm and assemble with stabilized cream.
- Heat cream for ganache and pour over chocolate; mix until smooth and pour over the assembled cake.
- Chill the ganache-covered cake to set for 30-60 minutes before serving.
Notes
Common mistake: Overwhipped cream will break. Stop at soft peaks and add dissolved gelatin gradually.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 110mg