Chocolate Cakes And Desserts
This chocolate cake recipe is moist, rich, and topped with a silky chocolate ganache or buttercream frosting. It is perfect for celebrations, birthdays, or as a dessert for any chocolate lover.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
For the Chocolate Ganache (Optional Frosting):
- 8 oz (225g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
For Decoration (Optional):
- Chocolate sprinkles, chocolate shavings, or truffles
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed until well combined (about 2 minutes).
- Add Boiling Water: Gradually stir in the boiling water. The batter will be thin, but this is normal.
- Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Ganache:
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Do not boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Allow the ganache to cool slightly until it thickens but is still pourable.
Assemble the Cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of ganache or frosting on top.
- Place the second cake layer on top and pour the remaining ganache over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Decorate with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or truffles if desired.