Triple Chocolate Cake Recipe

Prepare and preheat

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

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and free of lumps.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Make batter

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or mixer on low just until combined. Slowly add the hot brewed coffee while mixing gently; the batter will be thin — this is normal and yields a moist cake. Scrape sides and mix until uniform but avoid overmixing.

Fold in chips and chunks

Fold in the semisweet chips and chopped dark chocolate so they are evenly distributed. Reserve a tablespoon of chips/chunks for topping if desired.

Bake

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops and bake in the preheated oven for 25–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not raw batter). Rotate pans halfway through baking for even color if your oven has hot spots.

Cool

Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge, invert onto a wire rack, remove parchment, and let cool completely before filling and frosting (about 1–2 hours).

Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it begins to simmer at the edges (do not boil). Remove from heat and pour over the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 1 minute, then gently stir until smooth and glossy. Stir in the butter and corn syrup until incorporated. Let ganache cool slightly until thickened but still pourable (about 10–20 minutes). If using as a filling, allow to cool more so it spreads without running; if using as a glaze, use while still pourable.

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1–2 minutes. Sift together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar to prevent lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa to the butter, alternating with the heavy cream, beating on low until incorporated, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add vanilla and salt, and adjust consistency: add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time if too stiff, or add a little more powdered sugar if too thin. Taste and adjust salt or cocoa to preference.

Level the cooled cake layers if domed using a serrated knife. Place one layer on your serving plate or cake board. Spread a thin layer of chocolate buttercream as a crumb coat or use a few spoonfuls of ganache as the filling layer (about 1/3–1/2 cup), smoothing it to the edge but not overhanging. If using ganache for the center, allow it to set slightly before adding the second cake layer to avoid slippage.

Place the second cake layer on top and apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake to seal crumbs. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to set the crumb coat.

Apply a final thicker layer of chocolate buttercream, smoothing with an offset spatula or bench scraper. If you want a ganache drip or glaze, warm any reserved ganache to a pourable consistency and carefully pour around the top edge letting it drip down the sides, then fill the center with ganache and smooth.

Press reserved chocolate chips/chunks or chocolate shavings around the base or on top. Lightly dust the top with cocoa powder. Refrigerate the cake 20–30 minutes to set the frosting and ganache before serving. Bring cake to room temperature 30–60 minutes before slicing for best texture.