Chocolate Ganache Cake

This chocolate ganache cake is dark, rich, and unapologetically chocolatey.

If you’ve never had chocolate ganache before, it’s incredibly rich and sets into a soft, fudgy texture once it cools. Because it’s more thicker and richer than traditional frosting, I prefer pairing it with a cake that’s sturdy enough to support it.

The chocolate cake layers here are slightly more structured than most chocolate cakes but still very moist, which makes them perfect for layering with ganache.

I used a 1:1 chocolate ganache for the filling, frosting, and drip, which keeps it nice and simple.

I have a few similar cake styles but with a few flavor twists so if you want to add a little something, try my chocolate caramel cake, chocolate raspberry cake, chocolate blueberry cake, and ferrero rocher cake. 

Chocolate Notes

• Cocoa Powder: I use dutch process cocoa powder for a darker color and richer flavor. Natural cocoa powder also works but the color and flavor will be slightly less intense.
• Chocolate: I recommend dark chocolate for all the components in this recipe. My favorite chocolate is the Dark Pound Chocolate from Trader Joes, but any dark chocolate baking bar will work here. If you’re not familiar with chocolate ganache or if you make any swaps, please refer to my full guide on ganache.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This cake looks much more complicated than it actually is. There are three cake layers, and the filling, frosting, and drip all start from the same 1:1 chocolate ganache.

Chocolate ganache is simple to make (just chocolate + cream), but the texture changes depending on temperature. You’ll use the ganache at three stages: cooled and thick for the filling, whipped once cooled for the frosting, and slightly warm/thinner for the drip.

A digital scale is one of the best ways to get consistent results—especially for flour, cocoa powder, and keeping your ganache ratio accurate.

Chocolate Cake Layers

1. Make the cake first. Start by creaming the butter with the sugar for 1-2 minutes. Then add the oil and beat at full speed until it’s pale and fluffy. 
2. Add the eggs one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg. Then add the vanilla and sour cream, mixing just until they’re combined. 
3. Add half of the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and the other half of the dry ingredients. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl well so it’s evenly mixed. 
4. Distribute the batter evenly. You should get about 500 grams in three 8 inch cake pans. 
5. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. When the cake is done baking, it will release itself from the edge of the pan and spring back when you press on the center. Let the cakes rest for just a few minutes, then flip them over onto a cooling rack or a tea towel.
6. Allow them to cool completely to room temperature. 

Oven temperatures vary a lot, so I recommend using an oven thermometer—cakes can be sensitive to temperature swings.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan on the stovetop, or a microwave, just until it’s steaming and begins to simmer around the edge of the pot (NOT boiling- if it gets too hot, let it cool for a minute before pouring over the chocolate).
2. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate in a bowl, cover it and let it rest for 1-2 minutes.
3. Gently stir the cream into the chocolate from the center outwards until it’s completely smooth.
4. Set aside to cool completely. Room temperature is best but it takes longer. If you refrigerate it to speed things up, stir it every 15–20 minutes so it cools evenly and doesn’t firm up around the edges.
   
5. Once the chocolate has cooled, split it in half (doesn’t have to be perfect), reserving plain chocolate ganache for the filling. 
6. Use a mixer to beat the other half of the chocolate ganache at full speed, until it lightens in color and resembles more of a frosting texture.

Assemble

1. Use the whipped chocolate ganache to pipe a border around the edge of the cake.
2. Then fill in the center with the plain un-whipped chocolate ganache.
3. Repeat with the second layer and then place the third layer on top.
4. Frost the cake with the rest of the whipped chocolate ganache and refrigerate the cake.
5. For the chocolate drip, repeat the steps for the chocolate ganache (but with a smaller amount of ingredients).
6. Let it cool for about 15-30 minutes, until it’s no longer warm and has thickened just slightly but is still fluid enough to drip.
7. Spread it on top of the chilled cake, allowing it to run off the edge a little. 

Tip: If at any point the ganache feels loose or the cake feels wobbly, refrigerate the cake (and ganache) for 10–15 minutes between layers.

How to get a perfect chocolate drip

Chocolate drips are simple to make. Just follow the same process as making chocolate ganache with a few differences in how it’s used:

1. You want the ganache to be fluid but not hot.
2. Chill the cake so that you get nice clean drips – the chocolate ganache will set quicker as it’s dripping off the edge of a cold cake.
3. Work quickly so it doesn’t set TOO quickly before it’s done dripping off the edge.
4. For a waterfall drip, pour the chocolate on top of the cake and use an offset spatula or a spoon to spread it out to the edges, allowing it to fall off of the cake organically.
5. For a more uniform drip, allow the chocolate to cool slightly more so it’s a little thicker and not quite as fluid. Then place it in a piping bag with a small tip and pipe the drips along the edge of the cake. Then spread the rest on top, being careful not to ruin the drips on the side of the cake.

How to make the cake ahead of time

To make the cake ahead of time you can make the cakes up to a couple weeks in advance. When you remove them from the oven, let them cool for about half an hour and then wrap them individually  in plastic wrap. Then place them in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the excess air. 

Bring back to room temperature before frosting. If you frost them while they’re frozen, the whipped ganache will set way too quickly from the cold cake and make it difficult to spread. 

To make the ganache ahead of time just follow the instructions until it’s done, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for a few days. Bring back to room temperature before assembling the cake. 

Ganache can be sensitive to temperature sometimes so I prefer to use it fresh as I don’t like to refrigerate it. To save time, make it the night before and allow it to cool overnight at room temperature. Then assemble the cake in the morning. 

How to store finished cake

I usually just cover it with a cake dome or place it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for 1-2 days. 

To refrigerate – store covered (or store slices in an airtight container) for up to a week, though I prefer freezing for the freshest texture.

To freeze the whole cake, refrigerate it until it’s firm. Then wrap it in plastic wrap so it’s completely covered. Then wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze. 

To freeze slices, place the slices in an airtight container and freeze. Bring it back to room temperature by thawing for a few hours before serving. 

Thanks so much for reading—if you have questions, leave a comment below. And if you make this cake, I’d be so grateful for a 5-star rating or review.

Have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

Recipes

Layer Cakes

Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipe

4.74 from 176 votes

prep 1 hour hr

cook 35 minutes mins

Additional Time 4 hours hrs

total 5 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Serves 16 -20 servings

Fluffy chocolate cake filled with creamy chocolate ganache, frosted with whipped chocolate ganache and topped with a chocolate drip. This cake is dark and rich and not for the faint of heart!

Author: Bernice Baran

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Servings 16 -20 servings

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Equipment

• ▢
  1 stand mixer with whisk attachment
• ▢
  2 medium bowls
• ▢
  1 Whisk
• ▢
  1 Rubber Spatula
• ▢
  1 piping bag

Metric(US) Imperial

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• ▢ 270 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• ▢ 60 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled (I use dutch-processed)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 400 grams granulated sugar
• ▢ 120 mL canola oil, or any neutral oil
• ▢ 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 227 grams sour cream, room temperature
• ▢ 240 mL milk, room temperature

Chocolate Ganache

• ▢ 525 grams dark chocolate, chopped
• ▢ 525 mL heavy cream

Chocolate Drip

• ▢ 85 grams dark chocolate, chopped (chips work too)
• ▢ 85 grams heavy cream

Method

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection and grease and line three round 8 inch cake pans with baking spray and parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until they’re evenly distributed.
   270 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 60 grams unsweetened cocoa powder spooned and leveled (I use dutch-processed), 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp fine sea salt
3. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and use an electric mixer to beat them at full speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the oil and beat for another 1-2 minutes at full speed. 
   113 grams unsalted butter room temperature, 400 grams granulated sugar, 120 mL canola oil or any neutral oil
4. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating for at least 30 seconds between each one, until it’s incorporated. 
   4 large eggs room temperature
5. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until it’s combined.
   2 tsp vanilla extract, 227 grams sour cream room temperature
6. Add half of the flour mixture, turn the mixer the low speed and stream in the milk. Add the other half of the flour mixture and increase the speed to medium for another 30-60 seconds, just until there are only a few streaks of flour left. 
   240 mL milk room temperature
7. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and give it one more good mix by hand. 
8. Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared pans, about 18-19oz in each pan. 
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edge of the cake releases from the pan or springs back when you gently press on the tallest part. 
10. Flip onto a tea towel or a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before frosting. 

Chocolate Ganache

1. Place the dark chocolate in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) and place the heavy whipping cream into a small saucepan. 
   525 grams dark chocolate chopped, 525 mL heavy cream
2. Heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer (bubbling all around the edge).
3. Pour the cream over the dark chocolate and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap for about 5 minutes, so the chocolate melts.
4. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the ganache until they're completely smooth.
5. Cover again and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. You can refrigerate to speed up the process but make sure to stir it every 5-10 minutes so it cools evenly.
6. Split the chocolate ganache in half. Reserve half of the ganache for the cake filling and place the other half in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl.
7. Use the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, at full speed, to beat the ganache for 3-5 minutes, until the ganache has lightened in color and grown in volume.

Assemble

1. Place the first layer of cake on a flat surface. Place the WHIPPED ganache into a piping bag and pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill the center with half of the reserved ganache. Repeat with the next layer and then top with the last layer.
2. Use the rest of the WHIPPED ganache to frost the outside of the cake. You should have enough to lightly frost the cake.* Refrigerate the cake.

Chocolate Drip

1. Place the dark chocolate in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) and place the heavy cream into a small saucepan. 
   85 grams dark chocolate chopped (chips work too), 85 grams heavy cream
2. Heat the cream over medium heat until it comes to a simmer (bubbling all around the edge).
3. Pour the cream over the dark chocolate and cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap for about 5 minutes, so the chocolate melts.
4. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the ganache until they're completely smooth.
5. Cover again and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Pour the ganache on top of chilled cake and spread it out so it drips off the edge.

Notes

*if you want to decorate the cake with frosting, you can double the amount of the chocolate ganache and whip 3/4 of it. Or you can make a batch of buttercream (a batch with 1 cup of butter) to decorate the outside.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 623kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 8gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 21gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 275mgFiber: 4gSugar: 45g

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 8 inch chocolate cake, chocolate cake, chocolate drip, chocolate drip cake, ganache cake