Chocolate Cake Recipe
Chocolate Mousse, Ganache, Raspberry Coulis.
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Ingredients
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Cake Batter
Chocolate Mousse
Ganache
Raspberry Coulis
Assembly and Finish
Method
Cake Batter
- 1
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment.
- 2
Step 2
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- 3
Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- 4
Step 4
Beat in vegetable oil and vanilla extract until combined.
- 5
Step 5
Alternate adding buttermilk and dry mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Stir in hot water or coffee to thin batter to a pourable consistency.
- 6
Step 6
Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- 7
Step 7
Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before assembly.
Chocolate Mousse
- 8
Step 1
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Gently melt over a barely simmering pot of water (double boiler) or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- 9
- 10
Step 3
Temper the yolks by slowly whisking in a small amount of the warm melted chocolate, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the remaining chocolate.
- 11
Step 4
Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks and fold gently into the chocolate mixture until smooth and uniform.
- 12
Step 5
Chill the mousse for at least 2 hours to set before using as a filling.
Ganache
- 13
Step 1
Chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
- 14
Step 2
In a small saucepan, heat the cream until just simmering, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand 2–3 minutes.
- 15
Step 3
Whisk until smooth and glossy. Stir in butter until fully incorporated. Allow ganache to cool to a pourable but thickened consistency.
Raspberry Coulis
- 16
- 17
Step 2
Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds. Chill until ready to serve.
Assembly and Finish
- 18
Step 1
If the cake domes, level the top of each layer. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate.
- 19
Step 2
Spread a thick layer of chocolate mousse over the first cake layer. Top with the second cake layer.
- 20
Step 3
Pour the ganache over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing with a spatula for a glossy finish. Allow to set slightly.
- 21
Step 4
Drizzle or pipe raspberry coulis decoratively on the plate or over the cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a light dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
