Choc-a-lot Cake Recipe

Prep

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

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk in the granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until mostly combined, then gradually add the hot water or hot coffee while mixing gently to obtain a thin batter. Scrape the bowl so there are no dry pockets. The batter will be quite loose — this gives a moist crumb.

Bake

Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake on the middle rack for 22–28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through if your oven runs hot.

Cool

Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto a wire rack. Peel off parchment and cool completely (at least 1 hour) before assembling so the ganache won't melt.

Warm cream

Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream just to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1–2 minutes to soften.

Emulsify

Using a whisk or spatula, stir from the center outward until the chocolate and cream form a glossy, smooth ganache. Add the unsalted butter, corn syrup (if using) and salt; stir until fully incorporated. If the ganache seems too loose for layering, let it cool at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still pourable.

Chill if needed

For a firmer filling, chill the ganache in the refrigerator, stirring every 10 minutes, until it reaches a spreadable consistency (about 20–40 minutes). Do not let it set rock-hard.

Beat butter

In a medium bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until creamy and pale (about 1–2 minutes).

Add dry

Sift in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Beat briefly on low to combine so you don't create a powdered sugar cloud.

Finish

Add the heavy cream (or milk), vanilla and salt. Beat on medium-high until light and smooth, adding one tablespoon more cream if needed to reach a spreadable but fairly firm consistency. The buttercream is intended as a thin crumb-coating and to add texture between ganache layers.

Chill and sweeten

In a bowl, whisk together the double cream, caster sugar and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This poured cream should be pourable cold but slightly thickened; whisk briefly before serving if it has partially separated.

Level and split

If the cake layers have domed, level the tops with a serrated knife to create flat surfaces. For three layers, you can split each round horizontally; for two layers, proceed as-is. Place the bottom layer on a cake board or serving plate.

First layer of ganache

Spoon or pour a portion of the ganache onto the center of the bottom sponge and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Use enough to create a generous chocolate layer (about one-third of the ganache). If the ganache is too soft it will run — chill briefly to thicken.

Buttercream thin layer

Pipe or spread a thin layer of the chocolate buttercream over the ganache to create a smooth interface and help trap crumbs (about half to one cup). This is a thin layer, not a full frosting.

Top layer

Place the second sponge on top, pressing gently to level. Spread the remaining ganache over the top, allowing a small amount to drip down the sides if desired for a dramatic effect.

Chill to set

Refrigerate the assembled cake for 20–30 minutes to allow the ganache to set slightly and make slicing cleaner.

Serve

Slice the cake with a hot, dry knife (wipe between cuts). Serve each slice with a generous pour of the chilled pouring cream. Garnish slices with chocolate shavings and a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes if using.