This Chocolate Ganache Cake is one of the best chocolate cake recipes I’ve ever eaten. Chocolate Ganache tops a very rich and decadent cake.
If you’re in the market for one of the best chocolate cake recipes, you must consider giving this one a try. This Chocolate Ganache Cake is not a typical cakey -type chocolate cake. The cake is a single layer, and it’s dense and chocolatey and very rich. It’s the sort of chocolate cake that chocolate lovers tend to swoon over.
I suggest serving this cake in slivers. It’s rich, so a sliver is just fine. And a scoop of vanilla ice cream cuts the richness of the cake a little bit. Have plenty of milk or coffee nearby to wash it down!
The recipe for this cake was originally spotted in one of Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa cookbooks: Barefoot Contessa Parties. I made it for the first time quite a few years ago to serve at a neighborhood gourmet dinner party. It was such a big hit that I know that all of us who were at that party continue to bake this cake on a regular basis for special occasions.
How to make Chocolate Ganache Cake:
An 8-inch round cake pan is all you’ll need in terms of equipment to make Chocolate Ganache Cake. It’s lined with parchment paper for easy removal after baking. You’ll just turn the cake out onto a rack to cool completely. On occasion, the center of this cake sinks a little when baked. It doesn’t happen to me every time, but I have had it a couple of times for who-knows-why? The ganache covers it up if this happens to you.
Slide some waxed paper under the rack and drizzle the whole cake with the chocolate ganache. The excess ganache can just drip onto the waxed paper for easy clean up. Then you can just let it sit for a while to get that ganache to set.
Ina Garten always calls for using extra large eggs in her recipes, so that’s what I always use in this recipe. I find that kind of annoying since most people don’t normally buy extra large eggs… but I just buy them and use them for this recipe and use the rest to make scrambled eggs or hard boiled eggs.
The easy-to-make chocolate ganache is a great finisher to the top of this cake. It’s simply made of warmed cream and chocolate chips. And it has the added flavor of instant coffee to really bring the chocolate flavor to life. I like to use instant espresso powder instead of the instant coffee since I have that on hand for other recipes.
Try this ultra rich Chocolate Ganache Cake recipe for a special occasion, and let me know what you think!
Here are a few more chocolate cake recipes you might enjoy baking!
- Molted Chocolate Cake
- Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake
- Better Than Sex Cake
- Easy Chocolate Cake
- Healthy Chocolate Cake
- Double Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling
- Chocolate Sheet Cake
Chocolate Ganache Cake
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups Hershey's chocolate syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
GANACHE:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
PREPARE THE CAKE:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't over-beat, or the cake runs the risk of being tough.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't over-bake! Let cool thoroughly in the pan.
MAKE THE GANACHE:
- In the top of a double boiler, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally. (If you do not have a double boiler, just set a glass or metal bowl over a pan of simmering water instead.)
- Place the cake upside down on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top, making sure to cover the entire cake and sides. You can tilt the rack to smooth the glaze. Do not refrigerate.
Notes
- *This cake can be easily converted into bite-sized cupcakes or larger wedding cakes.
- *You can prepare the cake portion up to a week in advance. Wrap it tightly with plastic and refrigerate. Glaze it the day you serve it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m getting ready to make this this weekend. I have large eggs, not extra large. How much of a difference will it make? Should I make an extra stop for the extra large?
I think the large size should be fine.
My pan does have smaller sides. I found a taller pan. My cake still turned out beautiful. I trimmed off the edges where it overflowed is all. Next time I will use the other pan. Thank you for the recipe.
The cake batter filled my 8 inch round cake pan all the way to the top. Is this normal? I’m baking it on a baking sheet covered with tin foil. It is dripping over the sides of the pan a little. Does this happen with your batter? Maybe I mis measured an ingredient?
Hmmm, that should not have happened! I’m not sure what went wrong. Do you have a cake pan that doesn’t have taller sides? A springform pan might work too. You can read the comments on Ina’s original recipe, and see if there are helpful suggestions: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-ganache-cake-3777191
Looks so delicious and chocolatey! I love a good chocolate cake ?
Thanks for posting this recipe. I have this cookbook and I probably always overlooked this cake recipe. I’ll have to take another look at it. Your cake looks absolutely delicious!
When you use espresso powder instead of instant coffee do you use the same amount (because I imaginethe espresso powder is more intense)?
Perhaps a little more intense. I always use 1 teaspoon for an equal swap, but you can always use less if you’re worried about how strong it might be.
Lori I have seen Ina make this on tv recently but noticed she used a can of the Hershey syrup not a squeeze bottle. I cannot seem to find the can. Do you use the squeeze one by chance. I wonder if it’s the same consistency as the can.
Yes, any “Hershey’s syrup” will be the same– you just need 1 1/2 cups 🙂