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everyday chocolate cake

dark chocolate cake recipe with ganache
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This is the perfect everyday chocolate cake. It's straightforward and reliable. It's the recipe you'll use when all you want is a good, simple chocolate cake. It's light, moist, and filled with a deep chocolate flavor.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 1
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

chocolate cake

  • 2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons, room temperature and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (plus extra for greasing the pan)
  • 7 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (or 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour + 2 3/4 tsp baking powder)
  • 1/3 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

chocolate ganache (optional)

  • 7 ounces dark chocolate, broken or chopped roughly into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

chocolate cake

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
  2. Place butter, chocolate and coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk again until thoroughly combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then whisk into the melted chocolate mixture.
  3. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached. The top will form a crust and crack a little. Leave the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until completely cool.

chocolate ganache

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add chocolate and pulse until finely chopped.
  2. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes to a boil), remove from the heat.
  3. Get the food processor running again, with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10 seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. You can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted, then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.
  4. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature.
  5. Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside.

Notes

makes one 9" cake | recipe from sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh

- I used a mini bundt cake pan and the leftover batter went into a muffin pan, both pans were rubbed with butter and then floured

- if you use a mini bundt cake pan, check the cakes after 10- 15 minutes

The ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of its shine when defrosted.

With or without icing, the cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.withspice.com/blog/the-everyday-chocolate-cake/