Godiva Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch (or one 9-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment; grease the parchment and lightly flour the pans or dust with cocoa powder.

Whisk dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until homogenous.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs briefly, then add the whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract; whisk until combined.

Mix batter

With mixer on low, slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl. Slowly pour in the hot brewed coffee while mixing on low; the batter will be thin — this is normal and yields a very moist cake. Increase speed to medium and mix for 15–20 seconds to ensure smoothness, then scrape.

Bake

Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 28–34 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Cool

Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert onto racks, remove parchment, then cool completely (about 1 hour) before assembling. If making ahead, wrap and refrigerate or freeze layers.

Chop chocolate and heat cream

Place the finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream just to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Make ganache

Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1–2 minutes to soften, then gently whisk from the center outward until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the unsalted butter, corn syrup (if using), and salt until fully incorporated. If the ganache is too thick for glazing, warm gently over a double boiler or microwave in 10–15 second bursts, stirring between, until pourable but not hot. Let cool to a spreadable consistency if using as filling (about 20–30 minutes at room temperature).

Make simple soaking syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cocoa powder. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the coffee or rum if using. Let cool slightly.

Level and soak

If cake layers domed, level the tops with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Using a pastry brush or spoon, brush about half of the chocolate soaking syrup evenly over the layer (use less or more depending on moisture preference).

Fill

Spread about one-third to one-half of the cooled ganache over the first layer in an even layer. Place the second cake layer on top and press gently to level. If making a three-layer cake, split accordingly and distribute ganache between layers.

Crumb coat

Apply a thin layer of ganache around the sides and over the top to seal crumbs (crumb coat). Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to set the crumb coat.

Final glaze

Using the remaining ganache, pour or spread a generous, even layer over the top and sides of the cake. If you prefer a mirror-like glaze, warm the ganache slightly so it is pourable and pour it over the chilled crumb-coated cake, letting it drip down the sides for a smooth finish.

Garnish and serve

Garnish the top with shaved Godiva chocolate or curls, and sprinkle a few sea salt flakes if desired. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if using. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before slicing to allow ganache to soften slightly for cleaner slices.