Chocolate Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prepare oven and pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; grease the parchment and lightly flour the pans or dust with cocoa powder.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and no lumps remain.

Mix wet ingredients

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs lightly, then add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.

Combine wet and dry

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mostly combined and no large pockets of dry flour remain. Do not overmix.

Add hot coffee

Slowly pour the hot brewed coffee into the batter while stirring until fully incorporated. The batter will be thin — this is normal and yields a moist cake.

Divide and bake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (use a kitchen scale or scoop to be precise). Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

Cool

Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, invert the cakes onto the rack, remove parchment, and allow to cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.

Chop chocolate

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. If using chips, measure and place in the bowl.

Heat cream

In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, light corn syrup and salt over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges — do not boil.

Combine cream and chocolate

Pour the hot cream mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let sit undisturbed for 1 minute to soften the chocolate, then gently whisk from the center outward until smooth and glossy. Add the butter and whisk until melted and incorporated.

Cool to spreadable consistency

Let the ganache cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a spreadable consistency (about 20–30 minutes). If you need to speed it up, chill briefly in the refrigerator, stirring every 5 minutes.

Assemble cake

Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about half of the ganache over the top in an even layer. Gently place the second cake layer on top. Use the remaining ganache to frost the top and sides of the cake with an offset spatula. For a smooth finish, dip the spatula in hot water, dry it, and smooth the ganache.

Set and decorate

Let the frosted cake sit at room temperature until the ganache sets slightly (about 30 minutes). For a firmer set, chill the cake briefly (10–20 minutes) but bring back to room temperature before serving for best texture. Dust with cocoa powder, scatter chocolate shavings and finish with a few sea salt flakes if using.

Slice the cake with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts to get clean slices. Serve at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; if refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving.