Recipes > Chocolate Ganache Cake
This incredibly moist chocolate cake is smothered with a creamy chocolate ganache.
Dawn Thomas
- Serves: 8 to 12
- Active Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Views: 274,404
- Success Rating: 95% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Making the Ganache
- 12 oz (340 g) bittersweet chocolate (min. 54% cocoa mass; approx. 3 cups)
- 3/4 cup (175 g) heavy cream (min. 33% milk fat)
- 5 oz (140 g) unsalted butter (soft)
Method
To make the ganache, cut the butter into small pieces and let soften at room temperature. Next, chop the chocolate into small pieces. Heat the cream over medium-high heat. Once it comes to a gentle boil, pour it over the chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Whisk until you reach a smooth consistency. Add the soft butter, whisk, cover and set aside.
Step 2: Making & Baking the Cake
- 2 1/4 cups (450 g) sugar
- 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 1 3/4 tsp (9 g) baking soda
- 1 cup (95 g) cocoa powder (dutched)
- 3 each (170 g) large eggs
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 10 tbsp (135 g) vegetable oil (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 1/4 (300 g) cups whole milk
- 1 1/4 (295 g) cups strong coffee
- 1 1/4 (8 g) tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups (290 g) all-purpose flour
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare two 9 × 2-inch non-stick cake pans. If not using non-stick pans, spray first with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder together. Whisk until everything is evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, and oil together. Then add the milk and cooled coffee and whisk until blended.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk well, making sure everything is evenly combined.
Divide the batter between the baking pans and place immediately into the oven. Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Remove the cakes from the oven and place onto a cooling rack for about 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the cakes onto a cooling rack, peel off the parchment and let completely cool before icing.
Step 3: Assembling & Serving the Cake
Method
To assemble the cake, whisk the ganache. If your cakes have a dome shape, slice a bit off the top to even them out. Using an offset spatula, begin icing the cake by placing a large dollop of ganache in the center and spread it around evenly. Carefully place the second cake on top, crumb-side down.
If desired, you can do a crumb coat, but it’s not absolutely necessary for this cake.
To finish decorating, ice the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache and serve.
Chef's Notes
- by Dawn Thomas
- •
- October 9, 2007
If doing a crumb coat, be sure you don’t refrigerate for more than a minute or two before putting on the second layer; otherwise, it will be too cold and the ganache could solidify.
This cake is great even when made a day in advance; just be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving.
Cake boards are sold in specialty baking shops but you can easily make your own. Just cut out a sturdy piece of cardboard and cover it completely with foil.
157 Comments
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mmm. i love this recipe. thank you. (: -
thank you for this recipe
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hmm... It's delicious ^^ Can you show me the recipes of the other cakes? Like cheese, choux... I love all of them :) -
This cake is so good and so easy to make. I loooved it! thanks for the recipe =D -
I already tasted this ganache chocolate... Delicious.... -
I already tasted this ganache chocolate... Delicious....
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This recipe (and others) would be even easier if we had metric weights and measures! Not asking to replace the ancient ways, but equal air-time would be a lifesaver, thanks! -
This turned out to be a great birthday cake for my son's 14th. I subbed 2 Tbsp of the veg. oil with peanut oil. There was a subtle nuttiness about it. I used the thick ganche for the crumb layer and then whipped the final coat. When I was shopping for chocolate, I saw chile infused bitter chocolate so I suppose chile oil could be interesting, too. Or how about any of the nut oils? Easy to make and well presented, thank you Dawn!
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Thank Dawn for showing me the methods in this recipe from start to finish. Learning this recipe is helpful in the sense that similiar recipes like the Sacher Torte and Opera torte is altmost the same except additional buttercream, cake syrup and chocolate glaze. May I know will you be teaching the 2 recipes I just mentioned for chocolate lover like me? Alex
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The cake turned out great and seeing the steps sured helped. My wife loved it, she is the chocolate fiend in our family. -
Is it possible to back the cake on batches or do I have to back them on the same time ? my problem is that I only have one baking dish . -
When baking, it is usually best to bake things right away. With things like cookies etc. it is fine to bake in batches, but with cake batters it is really best to bake them as soon as you mix all of the ingredients together as there is some chemistry happening here. Ingredients will start to react immediately. As a result, if you wait an hour or so on the second batch, the batter will be very different in composition. You'd be better off buying a second pan or baking a larger cake in a 9X12 pan, then cutting it half to layer and ice. -
Yummy yummy....and yummy!
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Just made this yesterday for my math class, and it was a hit! I did go wrong a few times though. 1. Make sure to properly chop up ALL of the chocolate for the ganache. I got lazy towards the end, and had a lot of trouble with the larger pieces that then didn't melt. 2. Don't use a baking pan that is too wide. My cake ended up with thin edges and most of the batter in the center, so I couldn't get a nice uniform coating of the edges. 3. My fridge "froze" the ganache! I didn't have enough time to let it thaw, so it ended up standing in the sun before serving, and the ganache on top thawed. It was semi-hard in the middle. People actually liked that, though, so I don't know if it's really a mistake :) All in all, it was still just chocolate cake and everyone loved it.
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Glad the cake was a success. As for things going wrong...the frozen part for instance, you say people liked...that's the beauty of cooking, sometimes the mistakes are the best part.
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This cake is absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing it.
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If I were to make cup cakes w/ this recipe - how do the baking directions change? Thanks..... -
All would be the same, you would likely just need less baking time...this will depend on the size of cupcakes you make. I use this recipe often for cupcakes and it works perfectly. Hope that helps, good luck!
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Thanks Dawn - They usually take 22 minutes so I willl try that and let you know.... Thanks again...
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This cake is the moistest cake ever. I layered it with a black cherry filling and the ganache on the outside. It was to die for. A week later it still tasted a fresh and moist as the day that I made it. Believe it. This is a winner! Thank you. -
Could someone give me advice on how to make a strong cup of coffee to use when making this recipe. It looks so good but I usually drink my coffee pretty weak. Do you taste the coffee in the recipe? -
The coffee does give the cake more flavor, but it's not necessarily a strong coffee flavor. In fact, no one ever knows there is coffee in it. To make a strong cup of coffee just add more grounds to your coffee maker (if that's how you make coffee in your house). Even a weaker cup of coffee would be better than adding water. And you are right - this cake is "so good" ! hope this helps!
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I made this for my wife for Mother's Day. It was a tremendous success. The video instructions were particularly helpful for getting the ganache the right consistency and for applying the icing. A wonderful recipe all around--very well balanced sweet and richness. My daughter is already asking when we are going to make this again. Thank you! -
Each time i make the chocolate it doesn't turn out thick enough. Would this be because there is not enough chocolate? Or maybe the type of chocolate matters.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Sam, The consistency of the ganache will depend on the type of chocolate you use. For this recipe, we used a good QUALITY 54% chocolate. If you use a chocolate with a high cocoa butter content, it will likely be more liquidy. If you haven't worked much with chocolate, for ease of use and to prevent the ganache from splitting, I wouldn't use anything higher than 64%. We have a great introductory lesson on chocolate in the Cooking School: Basics of Quality Chocolate. Also remember to let the ganache properly cool before using. It can even be whipped a bit, as shown in the video, to thicken it. Hope this helps. -
thanks ill look into it :D
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Love this recipe. My friend and I have been using this as a staple celebratory cake. Super yummy!
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What is a crumb coat? Did I miss somethiing obvious in the instructions? -
Step 3 of the video (at around 2:17) talks about crumb coating. Here is a bit more information. A crumb coat is a thin layer (or can be multiple layers) of frosting or icing that is applied before the final icing of a cake. It helps to seal in the moisture and more importantly it seals in any crumbs, so that they don't end up in the final frosting or icing. Hope this helps!
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Hi Dawn, I just made the cake batter and would like to put it in the oven. However, the batter looks thinner than it does in your video (even after adding additional flower). How can I tell how thick it should be? I was very precise in my measurements... -
I think before adding more flour you should have just baked it to see how it was. I say, don't wait...bake it right away as batter shouldn't sit and see how it comes out. Your batter may just have looked thinner than what it "seemed" to look like on the video, but if you trust your measurements then you should be okay. Good luck - let me know how it turns out!
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Dawn, the cake turned out excellent even with the extra flour. I used whole-wheat pastry flour which surely changed the over-all taste, can I use "cake-flour" next time? Also, I think next time I would like to jazz it up a bit by adding a hint of lavender. Please let me know if this would work out; 1) Soak lavender in the heavy-cream with a cheese cloth 2) soak lavender in the whole milk while warmed then allow to cool??? Could I use lavender-water instead of coffee or is that overkill?
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Hi. Cake flour would produce a great cake as it is lower in gluten. You should watch this lesson in the cooking school as it will provide a lot of help to you in understanding which types of flours are better for certain things. http://rouxbe.com/cooking-school/lessons/81-wheat-gluten As for the lavender-water, you could try it. I personally don't think that it would be as tasty as the coffee infused version. In my opinion, "expectations" play a major role in cooking and serving food. If you do try this and I encourage you to try, be sure to tell people that this is a lavender-infused chocolate cake or they will find it might taste a bit funny. The reason is that people will expect the cake to have a very rich chocolatey flavor and not one with a floral taste. So be sure to set the expectations with your guests so they can evaluate the cake based on their expectations. Good luck. -
So, I made this cake before and it was perfect. However, this time I neglected to use my parchment paper :( The cakes stuck hard-core! When I turned it up-side down onto the platter I had a plate full of broken pieces of cake. They are both ruined! Any alternate uses for these tasty chunks? I don't want them to go too waste. Can I make something yummy?
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Ah Yes...the parchment is an important step, I bet you won't make that mistake twice :-) As for the cake you could just put some ice cream on top or you could make a nice triffle...maybe with some caramel sauce on top.
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What would be the changes to make a milk chocolate version of the ganache?
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Rouxbe Staff
Milk chocolate ganache is a bit trickier to make since quality milk chocolate will contain milk solids (dark chocolate does not contain milk solids - refer to the Cooking School Lesson on the Basics of Quality Chocolate. Depending on the type of milk chocolate you use, try a 2:1 ratio (2 parts chocolate to NO MORE than 1 part cream). I'd even skip or add just 1 ounce of unsalted butter. A bit of butter will give the ganache extra shine but too much might make it too fluid and hard to spread. Dark chocolate is definitely easier to work with. We will be tackling ganache in the Cooking School in the near future. In the mean time, good luck! I hope this helps.
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I made this cake again and as the first time the result was disappointing it didn't look anything like what you made but to tell you the truth this is the second time that I tries to frost a cake and as I understood it get's easier. The trickiest part in my opinion is cutting the dome any idea on how to do it correctly? The other funny thing is that the cake didn't take that long in the oven about 30 minutes and the skewer went out clean.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Khaled, You just need a steady hand and practice to be able to cut the dome off cakes. A rotating cake stand makes this easier but you just need to keep the knife level, saw gently back and forth while turning the cake, as shown in the video. Make sure you use a long, serrated knife to do this (larger than the cake). As far as baking time goes, this just depends on your oven. You were right to check it. In culinary and pastry school, cooking and baking times are not given. It is done when it is done. Cooks in restaurants often have to share ovens so they have to make adjustments and know when to take things out based on one temperature being used. This is where you learn to watch for key indicators, rather than follow times - this also makes you free from the constraints of a recipe. Practice practice practice. That is what it is all about. Hope this helps!
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This recipes is fantastic, everyone loves it. But I don't know what to do with the leftover ganache, I kept it in refrigerator but I don't know if I still can used it again. Please advise. -
We've never had any leftover ganache from this recipe. Perhaps you are spreading it a bit too thin. However, if you do have any leftovers, the ganache will keep for quite some time in the refrigerator. Just let it come to room temperature and spread over other cakes, cupcakes or cookies. Or, grab a spoon and enjoy a little treat now and then :)
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Try making a Ganache tart just bake the tart shell let it cool fill it with ganache cool in the fridge and enjoy...
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I have used heart shape cookie cutter to make many little cakes and put the ganache only on the top. I do I keep these over night? Should I put it in an air tight container or in the fridge? Thanks! -
Rouxbe Staff
Nice idea! This cake will keep fine in an air tight container overnight. If you don't eat everything tomorrow, you can put it in an air tight container in the fridge to extend the shelf life by a few days. Just bring to room temperature before serving. Hope you enjoyed them!
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This was wonderful! We had a pasta making party on Valentines Day and the cake was a hit for desert. I too made the mistake of putting the Ganache in the fridge...made it almost as hard as it's original chocolate form. I placed the bowl in a bowl of warm water and it was all ok. Next time I'll just "set it aside". I used 70% and although it was yummy, maybe next time I'll try 63%...might be a little sweeter. Dawn,Rouxbe....thank you so much for this website. This was one of the best things I've ever spent money on (life time membership...ya ya!). I have so much fun cooking. Thank you -
Rouxbe Staff
Great to hear you enjoyed the cake and that you are finding lots of value in Rouxbe. Happy cooking!
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this is a such a moist and delicious cake! i strongly recommend it! -
Made the cake again for one of my co-workers 25 year anniversay and it was a hit but the Ganache was still giving me trouble hardening up even though this time I didn't put it in the fridge. Read throught the receipe again and woops...it's 5oz of butter not 5 tablsp..I'm sure that should make a difference, can't wait to bake another one and try again.
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i found that the cupcake does not have the details of the dinosaur on its surface. only when i turned a jelly out of the mould did the picture of a dinosaur turned out perfect. may i ask is there a cake recipe that will show a clear dinosaur cupcake? perhaps if i pour liquid caramel on the bottom of the mould (to show the pattern) before adding the cake batter? thank you. alison
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I think this might just be a case of what you are making. A jello or jelly will generally always show the shape of the mold better than a cake would. You might want to do a bit of experimenting or maybe even do a bit more research as this is quite specific. I am sure there are even cookbooks that are dedicated to this sort of thing. Cheers!
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I have made this cake several times now, and it is always amazing. My youngest daughter, however, has asked that I make her a white (or yellow) cake with chocolate frosting for her upcoming kindergarten graduation. I have tried twice now with recipes from various sources with disappointing results. Dawn, do you have a white/yellow cake recipe that you would be willing to share? In terms of texture, moisture, and flavor, this is my all-time favorite cake recipe. I'm hoping you have a paler counterpart. Thanks! --Alvin
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I do have one I will see what I can dig up and I will get back to you. For now I may just email you the recipe, but eventually I will put it up as a Rouxbe Recipe. Cheers!
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Hi... I have two questions : 1) Is it possible to bake the cake so that it doesn't have a dome ? I think it's much easier than just cutting the dome off which is the hardest step for me since I found it too hard to cut in a perfectly horizontal way. I saw once that wrapping the cake pan with moist towel can help. 2) Can I just bake one big cake instead of two small ones ? by making only one cut in the large cake I think you can have a cake that is more even.
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Rouxbe Staff
To prevent dome/humped cake tops, you need to check the internal temperature of your oven. It is likely too hot. An oven that is too hot will cause the cake to set unevenly and have a humped center. Also, if the cake sets before it has fully risen, it will have poor volume/texture. When baking more than one cake, make sure that the pans aren't touching each other so there is good air circulation. If you do have a dome, you can also flip the cake upside down (if you're icing it) so that the hump is on the bottom. And, yes, you can bake one cake instead of two small ones. You can even make cupcakes out of this batter. You'll just need to adjust the baking time. Cheers!
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This cake was very easy to make and turned out perfectly. It was a big hit at my dinner party last night!
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I made the chocolate ganache cake and it was delicious. When I was making the cake the only problem I had with my cake was the bitter after taste how can I correct that and what did I do wrong. I will be trying it again. My daughter loved it.
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Rouxbe Staff
It could be the type of chocolate, cocoa powder or coffee that you are using. The next few times you make the cake, tweak these ingredients to see if you notice a difference in flavor. Also, make sure you've measured your baking powder and baking soda accurately. Cheers!
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My wife made the chocolate ganache cake for Thanksgiving and it received rave reviews. She even made it the day before and it was as moist as could be for the next two days and then it was all gone. She wants to make this cake and plus a "white" version for our annual neighborhood Christmas Eve celebration. Would it work to make the ganache with good quality white chocolate? How do you think a white chocolate flavor would be with lemon cake? Can you send me your white cake recipe? -
This is superrrrrrr -
This is definitely A chocohaulic's cake. So very moist. I made about 20 cupcakes and a one layer cake 'cause I only had one round pan. Both turned out great and plus it's a no brainer! THANKS -
Just a stupid question, why do we make the ganache first? Wouldn't it save time to make the ganache while the cake is baking? just a thought :D
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Not a stupid question Monique...it really just comes down to having to put one step before the other. Doing the ganache first ensures that it is cool enough for when the cake is done (and cooled). If you want to do it while the cake bakes then you certainly can. For some people it is harder to do something while something else is baking as they may not be as fast etc. For almost any recipe many steps can be done at different times. I always try to do stuff while other stuff is boiling, baking, sauteing etc. but we cannot always write the recipes that way. Once you become comfortable with a recipe you can really go in any order that works for you. Cheers!
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Oh thanks, I hesitate to change stuff right now because I'm still learning lots oc techinique and I thought there was some logical reason that I ignored. Since it was my first time, I preferred to follow the recipe to a "T" Thanks again, PS Dawn, feel like I know you! That is your voice we hear on the videos, right?
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Indeed, that is my voice that you hear Monique (although in "real life" I am a bit more crazy and loud...shhhh don't tell anyone). I am glad to hear that you feel like you know me because I always think the same thing of all of you. I feel like we all have some special "Rouxbe/culinary" bond. Cheers!
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Any advice on how to make a white chocolate ganache to make a "white" version of your chocolate ganache cake, which was such a hit? Do you plan to post your favorite dense, white cake recipe in the near future?
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Rouxbe Staff
White chocolate ganache can be tricky to make because there is no cocoa mass in the chocolate - only cocoa butter - so it is much softer. For more information, you might want to check out the lesson on The Basics of Quality Chocolate. Depending on the cocoa butter content, you'll need to add less cream and much less butter. This will be covered in a future pastry lesson. Sorry, but we currently don't have a recipe for a dense white cake on Rouxbe. Hang in there :)
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Hey, tks for the recipe, it really worked out great! I was kinda proud of myself, which rarely happens when I cook deserts! :))) I really want to enrich this recipe with some Southern Comfort but i don't know how it will work better - in the ganache or in the cake. How do you think some alcohol will affect this recipe? -
Rouxbe Staff
Yes, you can add a bit to either. Just adjust one of the liquids. For the ganache, I wouldn't add more than a tablespoon or so - could be too overpowering. Cheers!
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I don't have baking soda available in the whole city. Is there any substitute for baking soda??
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Is it OK to user spring pan with this recipe?
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Rouxbe Staff
Here is some information on baking soda. Potassium bicarbonate (sodium-free; substitute measure for measure) can be used. If you don't have normal cake pans, a spring form pan would work. Just make sure it has a tight seal and grease them well. Cheers!
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Thanks so much Kimberley :)
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I read the article about backing soda and I realized it's the same as bicarbonate of soda is that right? I also knew that it's been used in recipes with acid ingredient so what is the acid here? is it coffee?
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Both the coffee and the cocoa powder add acidity. Cheers!
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I made this cake for our daughter in laws b-day. Everybody loved it. It baked up so nice and the gnache was just the right touch for chocolate lovers like us. Thanks! -
I could not find 54% coca< so I got 64% can I mix 10x powered suger to sweeten it up?
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The "minimum" 54% cocoa mass refers to the chocolate (not the cocoa powder) in Step 1 of the recipe. The cocoa used in Step 2 is Dutched. For more information on the difference, refer to the lesson in the cooking school on the Basics of Quality Chocolate. Cheers!
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My question is in I'm reference to step1 of the recipe, Step 2 is clear.
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I am also referring to Step 1 of the recipe. The "minimum" 54% cocoa is the chocolate used to make the ganache. We say "minimum" as you can use chocolate that is higher than this. In the video we also mention that you are looking to buy a good quality chocolate that is "at least" 54%. Hope this helps to clear things up for you. Cheers!
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Thank you very much, the cake turned out very well. The forsting, very rich and smooth. Great recipe.
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My nephew loved these: make little balls out of the left-over ganache and wrap pinky finger size sugar cookie dough around the outside. Roll it in sugar. press with a small glass to flatten. It doesn't stick because of the sugar. Bake at 350* (180C) for 15 minute depending on your altitude. This uses up any left-over, but I think he would rather just eat it straight. My sister would, however, shoot me if I permitted him to do such a thing. I'm wrapped around his finger as it is! -
This is great!. the Chocolate videos is the Best... hey, would you guys adopt me?... I am having so much fun with Rouxbe!.... -
my cake was very dry... :( -
Rouxbe Staff
This really is a very moist cake. Perhaps you might have measured incorrectly or over baked the cake a bit. Make sure you try it again as it is quite delicious. Cheers!
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As Kimberley states, measuring incorrectly can be a cause. I used to pack flour in a measuring cup until I learned a cup of flour should weigh 4 1/4 oz. The King Arthur Flour web site actually has a video showing how to properly measure flour. Click on recipes and go to online baking resources and there is a heading called measuring flour. Basically you fluff the flour first, sprinkle it into a straight edged one cup measuring cup and scrape off the excess. Using this technique has greatly improved my baking results. -
My oven could only fit in one 9in pan, and in the comment above it said it's not really good to bake in batches. So is it okay for me to cut the ingredients by half and make the batter in batches then bake them? please don't tell my to buy a new oven...that would not be an option (even though I really want to buy a new one. *sob*) -
Rouxbe Staff
Yes, you can definitely cut the ingredients in half and bake each cake off as you mix it. Happy cake making!
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don't know if i missed it or what, but i don't see in the video where sugar is added in and neither is in the text. Hope I didn't miss it?
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right after the post i checked it again and the word sugar just stares me in the face! so sorry!
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I live at 6500 ft. Are there changes to the cake recipe for high altitude?
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Kay, There has been plenty of discussion on high altitude baking in the forum. If you type in "altitude" in the search bar at the top right of any page, then click on the forum discussion tab, you'll find some useful information, in particular this post. Cheers!
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Could I use this as a topping for profiteroles? Also in The dark chocolate always seem to be 70% or higher. I never see anything that says 54%.
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Rouxbe Staff
You could try using this particular ganache for profiteroles but keep in mind that it will thicken substantially as it cools, so it won't be pourable. You could pour the ganche over the profiteroles just after making it (allow it to cool just slightly) but serve the profiteroles immediately. The ganache will soften the profiteroles if they are stored for any length of time. 54% cocoa mass is quite common; if you can't find it, use anywhere between 54 to 70%...not much higher than this or the chocolate will affect the texture of the ganache. Cheers!
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I made the cake a day in advance, how should i store it? It's a little warm in my apartment so im nervous to leave it out. -
Here is a post from earlier in this same thread that you may find helpful. Cheers!
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I want to make this cake and I am wondering if I would be able to whip some of the ganache, then fold in more whipped cream to make a filling? The cake looks dense so I didn't know if it would be too heavy for a whipped cream filling. Any other suggestions for filling choices? Thanks
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Rouxbe Staff
I think the cake will be okay with a whipped cream filling. It can be tricky to combine ganache with whipped cream because the cold cream with the not-so-cold ganache can seize and become lumpy/grainy. You can fill the cake with buttercream, jam, chocolate mousse or turn it into a black forest cake with whipped cream and cherries. There are plenty of recipes on the web for fillings. This caramel one sounds nice. Cheers!
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Thanks for tip on combining ganache and whipped cream, I don't want that to happen. Caramel sounds wonderful. Thanks again for the advice.
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Would it be too skimpy to try and get 16 pieces out of this cake?
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Rouxbe Staff
You could try and cut it into 16 pieces but that's stretching it. The thinner the pieces get, the harder it will be to cut into nice, even pieces. Besides, this cake is so good that you might make some guests sad with only a few bites. You might get away with it if you decide to make cupcakes from the batter. Cheers!
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I finally got to make this cake - WOW it was good! I had a few questions as posted above and now I know the answers. You can actually get 16 pieces of cake out of this. I must say that I would personally enjoy a larger piece, but for the dinner party it was fine. There were appetizers, salad, entree and dessert...so a small piece worked out good. I also asked about filling options, but made it as is this first time and it was great. I was concerned that the batter seemed so thin, but it baked up with a beautiful texture. I want to try a filling next time now that I know how the cake will hold up. I had never made ganache before and was extremely surprised how easy it was not to mention good! Thanks for the tips and the wonderful recipe. I will definitely make this again!
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Planning to make this cake for about forty people..How many servings will i get from this recipe? Thanks -
The recipe states that this cake will serve 8-12 people. However, the 3 comments above also talk about this same subject. The comment directly above yours mentions that they were able to cut the cake into 16 pieces. It really just depends on the sizes you want. Cheers!
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First off, this turned out incredibly good when I made it. Density is perfect - and taste.... well out of this world! Question is this: My hubby was less impressed than me because he has a super sweet tooth and wished the ganache was sweeter. So would you just switch to a milk chocolate from the semi sweet or would you still use the semi sweet and add some kind of sweetener to the ganache? Or maybe use half milk choc and half semi-sweet? Probably doesn't matter but just checking in case there is a best way to get a sweeter ganache. -
Rouxbe Staff
Unfortunately, milk chocolate, in this particular recipe, cannot be substituted. It has a higher cocoa content and will not set properly. You can experiment with different types of dark chocolate, which will provide a different flavor, but make sure they are still of a good quality (54% cocoa mass). Check out the Basics of Quality Chocolate lesson in the Cooking School for more information on choosing/identifying quality chocolate. Cheers!
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May I use this cake batter to make a black forest cake? -
I am sure this cake would work fine for a black forest cake. Would it be "classic" or "traditional", that I am not surel: however, it will still taste good. Cheers!
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For Thanksgiving 2011 we decided to make everything from this website for the first time. Our Menu consisted of the following: Turkey and Gravy Mashed Potatoes Candied Yam Stuffing Cranberry Sauce Chocolate Ganache Cake Everything made from scratch and followed the recipe to the tee, most items grown from our garden (and from Organic Local Farms). Did we say everything tasted fantastic? Wow! We're going to make this same recipe again next year! -
We made this during Thanksgiving 2011 and it was so moist and delicious my wife made it for my birthday. She used 2C of sugar instead of 2 1/4C and it was equally moist and delicious. We will be making this regularly on special occasions or even "just because." :)
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how many cupcakes would I get from this batter?
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It depends on how big you make them. For an average sized cupcake you would likely get at 12. Cheers!
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Great cake!!! I used 70% cocoa but found that I had to add some confectioners sugar to reduce the bitterness a bit. The next time I plan to use the 54% chocolate. One of the things I realized too late is that the cocoa should be more evenly and finely chopped to properly melt in the warmed cream. Luckily there weren't too many small chunks left and they pretty much blended in with the appearance of the cake. I don't have 9 x 2 inch pans; the closest size I could find were about 10.5 x 1.5 inches. This more thinly distributed batter and the fact that I had to place one on the rack and the other on the tray of the oven affected the baking time. TIP: the removable rotating disk with wheels and glass dish from a microwave oven works just as well as a rotating cake tray when icing a cake. -
Rouxbe Staff
Nice tip on removing the rotating disk/tray from the microwave to use as a decorating tray. Glad you liked the cake. And yes, make sure to chop the chocolate fairly fine so it melts evenly. Cheers!
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Silly question but what texture should ganache have? I made this cake for the following day and even after leaving out of fridge to get to room temp, the ganache was still a little hard as opposed to a fudgey texture I was hoping for. Overall it wasnt bad - everyone like it but the 68% valrhona that I used was a bit strong for most! Will try a to find a 54% next time but they are diff to come by here (unless you go for a lesser quality bar).
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Rouxbe Staff
Ganache should be smooth & have no graininess. It should melt in your mouth. If the cake has been refrigerated, it is surprising how long it will take at room temperature for the ganache to soften. It will still have a bit of a firm texture because the ratio of chocolate to cream is quite high. Ganache, depending on its use, can have higher amounts of cream to make the texture softer. This ratio is a good one for spreading on the cake and having the ganache hold its shape/texture so it won't ooze out the layers or slide down the sides. Cheers!
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I made this cake a few months ago. Is this cake suppose to be slightly sweet? it turned out great just not sweet enough for me.
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Since the ganache is quite sweet, the cake itself is not meant to be overly sweet. If you like, you could try increasing the sugar a bit. I have not tried this myself however so be careful not add too much or you might throw of the formula. Cheers!
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Could I double or triple the recipe(only cake) to make pound cake? -
Rouxbe Staff
This isn't a formula for a pound cake, but you can double the recipe. I wouldn't triple it or scale it any larger than that though. In baking, it is often risky to scale formulas because the larger amounts may not work in harmony with each other and tweaks may need to be made to the formula (i.e. more or less baking powder/soda/cocoa, flour, etc.). We have not tested this formula for a triple batch but I suspect a double batch would be fine. Cheers!
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What would happen if I substituted the sugar for honey. Would that work? Or will the texture be completely different? Has anyone tried that before?
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Rouxbe Staff
The type of sweetener used in a formula has a tremendous impact on the final result. Honey is a liquid and sugar is a solid so the final texture of the cake will definitely be different, as will its flavor. You will likely wind up with a cake that is very dense, overly moist and may not rise very well. Feel free to experiment but just keep in mind that when it comes to tweaking baking formulas, some failures should be expected before you achieve a result you are happy with. Because granulated sugar performs certain functions, you may never be able to achieve the same result by using honey. Some formulas just rely on the nature of the ingredients called for and are best not substituted. Also, when you come across a really good formula, it's best to leave it as is. We think this is one of them :-) If you are concerned about eating granulated sugar though, it might be better to seek out some other recipes/formulas that call for honey instead. Cheers!
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I made this cake last week and it was very moist and delicious. I tried making it again today at the request of those who ate my previous attempt. Unfortunately it turned out to be very dry and crumbly. Do you have any thoughts on why this might have happened? I added a table spoon of orange essence as well as vanilla essence and a table spoon of Drambui too this time round. Could this cause cake trouble? I also mistakenly added and whisked all the wet ingredients together at once and not separately as per the recipe. Could this be the cause of my cake woes?
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Rouxbe Staff
A woeful cake mystery! Let's see... Many factors can contribute to a dry or crumbly cake, the most common of which is overcooking and/or improper cooling. The additional vanilla, orange essence, and liqueur would not dramatically alter the moisture content, especially if yielding a drier product. It is also possible that the use of dry measure (as opposed to weight measure) threw off your wet to dry ratio. Again, not typically a recipe buster--but something that adds variation each time you make it. As long as the wet ingredients were thoroughly combined, the exact order in which they were mixed should also not significantly impact moisture content. Happy Cooking, Enjoy! -
Hi..can i substitute semi sweet chocolate chips for ganache? -
To clarify my question...I have semi sweet chocolate chips also regular not dutched cocoa in my pantry...and was wondering if I could substitute these ingredients...and how it would affect the final outcome of the cake?
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Liliane- OK, the chips will substitute without any issues whatsoever, but you will want to make a few adjustments for the regular cocoa powder. For each ounce of dutch-process cocoa that the recipe calls for, use 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of regular cocoa plus 1/8 teaspoon or so of baking soda. The baking soda helps mimic the alkalinity of the dutch-process and will create a smoother, rounder chocolate flavor in the dish. Regular cocoa can come off as a bit sharp for some people. I hope this helps!
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I am thrilled with my beautiful cake, sitting in the cooling rack, looking at me with those dark glossy cheeks! Oh my God, It is perfect. I am so glad I could cry. I did jump! I feel like a kid... The sponge is so delicious and moist that I didn't even bother to cover with the ganache. It is fluffy and moist in a way I don't believe. The color is gorgeous and the flavor... is to die for. Not too sweet, just the way I like. It is a lot of batter and I didn't have the right pans so I took my chances with one round 13 x 2 inch and it was good. Instead of two, I have one big cake. This time I had no intentions of covering with the ganache so I didn't worry about the shape. As I suspected reading the comments about this recipe, the only thing I needed with this was a cup of coffee and a fork. Heaven! -
Today I celebrated the Easter by making this delicious cake again, the complete recipe this time, with the ganache, inside and out. After all, it is Easter and we do not count calories today! Everybody loved the cake and now I am the favorite person of the family (as soon as I keep feeding them with the cake, of course). I did a brave move and scale up the recipe by 50%. This was to both to fit the pan I had available and the number of guests. I made a big cake of 15"x11"x1,5" and cut in the half. It was beautiful and delicious. My pride and joy! I am so glad I was able to do this. Not so long ago I definitely wouldn't. Thank you, Rouxbe! For all of you, thank you so much! I hope you all had a very Happy Easter!
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Rouxbe Staff
Oh that is good news, Rosana! we're so happy that you have new found kitchen confidence with Rouxbe! Be sure to share with your friends- we'd love to get them cooking too! Enjoy.
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What would be the cooking time if I wanted to make a bundt cake instead of two rounds?
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Rouxbe Staff
There is no real way to know the exact cooking time, but given the additional thickness and mass, it would be more than the 40 minutes or so called for in the recipe for 2 rounds. I would "toothpick check" it after an hour and allow an additional 20 minutes or so beyond that to be safe. I hope this helps!
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Hi..I have tryed several times... this video starts to play but doesnt contine playing..please.advise...thank you
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Another Rouxbe lesson and quiz on flour shows this cake...using cake flour . Is it best to use cake flour or all purpose flour for this cake? and why?
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This cake was actually made using all-purpose flour—the video may have just been using "cakes" and "cake flour" as an example, but this particular recipe was made with all-purpose. Cake flour has less protein in it and it often used for more light and tender cakes (such as Angel Food cake). Since this cake is quite dense and moist, it is fine with all-purpose. Cheers!
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Would it be ok to use espresso coffee? or would that be too strong? also the ganache that is being used in the video for the filling and to finish decorating has that been whipped?
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We have not tested this recipe using more then just a strong coffee, but you could always give it a try—it might be just fine with espresso. In fact, it might give it a nice coffee-flavor, which the cake currently does not really have. The ganache in the video was not whipped before icing the cake. In this case, we think the unwhipped ganache, when used for frosting, tends to look a bit more sophisticated then whipped frosting—but either way it totally fine. Cheers!
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Thank you Dawn. Since I am still snowed in. I will test it with what I have in my pantry and will let you know results with espresso coffee. Yes I agree..I like the sophisticated look of the unwhipped ganache in video..Ciao!
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I shop at a co-op and they didn't have any vegetable oil, so I got coconut oil instead. Would that be an okay substitute? Or should I go and hunt up some vegetable oil? Thanks! -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi - That would work for sure, but the flavor will likely have some of the "coconut" flavor that this oil can carry. If you prefer a more neutral flavor, I would choose another oil. ~Ken
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can i make the cake gluten free , using a combination of brown rice flour, quinoa flour , oatmeal flour and tapioca flour? -
Hi IIliana and thanks so much for your question. Your strategy sounds great - I haven't made this particular recipe gluten free but your instincts looks solid. I look forward to hearing how it turns out! Just keep an eye on the vegetable oil to flours ratio you use so that your cake remains super moist. All the best and thanks for engaging with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk -
Hi - I am attempting this cake for my wedding anniversary. Can I use jaggery instead of sugar? If sugar only, should I be using grained sugar or powdered?
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Hi Tushar. Happy anniversary. If you have access to grained sugar, I would use that. If you are using Jaggery, pulse it in the food processor to make it finer and it should work ok. Enjoy, Lauren -
Hi, This recipe was a success for me! thank you so much for making my day amazing! One quick question, why aren't there more cakes in the recipe list?
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Rouxbe Staff
Gaurav, it's good to know that you enjoyed this cake! There isn't a particular reason as to why there aren't more cakes in the recipe list. Perhaps, we'll add more... -
I am a beginner to baking. I made the sponge today and OMG the top exploded! (:-D) but it tasted so good. I will make some adjustments next time and hopefully perfect it. -
I agree, we should have more cake recipes
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Sigrid: I am not sure why there aren't more desserts--but I will mention it to our R&D team. This recipe is a total favorite and one that I make often for family and friends. Thanks for writing. Char -
Hi! I want to substitute all-purpose flour (APF) with whole wheat flour (WWF). Since WWF is denser, I assume I should add more liquid into the batter to make the cake moist. Could you tell me what proportions of liquid ingredients I should use, if I use the same amount of WWF flour as in the recipe for APF (2 1/4 cups)? -
Rouxbe Staff
hi Aisulu, Your thought process on substituting with regard to the flour is commendable. As you noted, and as we stress in the Essential Vegan Desserts course, swaps are infrequently straight 1:1. Adjustments have to be made. Whole wheat flour is not recommended formaking cakes. The amount of protein is considerable and the cake will be tough, not tender. It is the flour to use when making breads. My favorite, go to flour blend in most of my batter-based goods is 50% AP Flour and 50% whole wheat PASTRY flour. If you are set on using WWF alone, I have 2 suggestions but they both start with: Cut the recipe in half to do a test and that said, one at a time. A- Remove 1/4 cup of the WWFl and replace with cornstarch or arrowroot to make more of a tender flour. B- Use all WWFl and see what you think. If the batter is very thick, add a small amount of additional liquid. Good luck. Please let us know how it turns out. Chef Fran -
Hello, Is it okay if I use hot water instead of the coffee?
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Also, can I bake the enitre cake in 9by 12 pan
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Hi Thomas, The puropse of the coffee is to give a deep/rich background flavor that enhances the chocolate flavor. If you would prefer not to use coffee, you could increase the milk or use water (not hot, as it says in the recipe to add "cooled" coffee). For the cake pan; you can use a 9 by 12 and you would end up with a rectangular, single layer cake that you could frost with the ganache, instead of a double layer round cake. I hope you enjoy the recipe! Cheers, Sandy -
Could I replace the oil with butter and beat it with the sugar and eggs like in a traditional cake recipe? If that's the case, how much butter will be appropriate? I’m looking for a more dense in texture cake. Thank you in advance for your response.
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Xiomara, Have you made the cake as written yet? It is moist and deeply chocolate, not at all a flimsy cake. A lot of traditional cakes are actually made with oil like this one, amnd some use melted butter. I have not tested creaming sugar, butter and eggs in this recipe, so I cannot comment definitely on the result. If that is what you want to do, I'd scale the recipe in half or even by a quarter and try it as written, then see what you think. You could use melted butter instead of oil but in that case, use 3/4 of the amount to adjust for the solids in butter. Or, make a scaled down version of the cake with butter, creaming as you describe. Let us know what you find. Fran
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Hello, any chance you could provide weight measurements? Thanks!
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Rouxbe Staff
Hi Fung, all done! Thank you, Eric
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