Introduction

This Chocolate Ganache Cake is a rich, moist chocolate layered cake finished with a silky whipped ganache frosting and a glossy ganache drip. Perfect for special occasions or any time you’re craving a decadent chocolate treat that impresses both in flavor and appearance.

A tall, round chocolate cake with a smooth, rich brown frosting covers three visible layers, standing on a white marbled cake stand. Dark, glossy chocolate ganache drips down the sides unevenly from the top, creating a shiny texture contrast. The cake’s top is decorated with an arrangement of fresh strawberries, some whole and some sliced, showing bright red color and juicy texture, along with a few chocolate-covered strawberries adding a deep dark brown element. More strawberries sit around the base of the cake on the white marbled surface, adding extra brightness to the scene. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake:

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee

For the Whipped Chocolate Ganache:

16 oz (454 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream

For the Chocolate Ganache Drip:

3 oz (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 6-inch cake pans by spraying them with non-stick spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside the dry ingredients.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium to medium-high speed until smooth, pale, and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Step 5: Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture in portions, mixing on low then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until smooth and combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Step 6: Stir in the hot coffee on low speed until just combined, dispersing evenly through the batter.
Step 7: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 39-44 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: For the whipped ganache, place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate. Let stand 1-2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
Step 9: Let ganache reach room temperature; chill in the fridge in 10-minute intervals if needed, stirring after each until it’s solid but pliable (about 30 minutes). Whip the ganache with an electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until pale and fluffy, resembling buttercream.
Step 10: Level the cooled cakes by trimming the domed tops with a sharp knife so they stack evenly.
Step 11: Place a dollop of whipped ganache on your cake turntable. Set the first cake layer on top and spread a generous layer of whipped ganache evenly. Repeat with remaining layers.
Step 12: Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting to the entire cake and smooth with a cake scraper. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Step 13: Apply the final thicker layer of whipped ganache, smoothing the sides and top for a clean finish. Return the cake to the fridge for another 30 minutes.
Step 14: For the ganache drip, heat cream over medium heat until steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let cool about 5 minutes.
Step 15: Transfer ganache to a piping bag or squeeze bottle. When the cake has chilled for about 20 minutes, carefully pipe drip ganache around the edges, letting it drip halfway down the sides. Spread the remaining ganache over the top and smooth it out with a spatula or spoon, swirling if desired.
Step 16: Chill the cake for 15 minutes to set the ganache drip.
Step 17: Decorate the cake as you like, such as with chocolate-covered or sliced strawberries, then serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Replace the hot coffee with espresso for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet for a richer ganache.
If your ganache gets too stiff, gently warm it and stir to soften before whipping or dripping.
Chill the cake properly between frosting steps to make smoothing easier and reduce crumbs.

Storage

Store the finished cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor. Leftovers can be frozen wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

How to Serve

A tall, three-layer dark chocolate cake with thick, smooth chocolate frosting between each layer, visible where a slice is cut out. The top is covered with a glossy dark chocolate ganache that drips slightly down the sides. Fresh red strawberries, some whole and some cut in half with bright green leaves, sit on top along with several strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. The cake stands on a white marble cake stand with a wooden base, surrounded by more fresh strawberries on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar added and left to sit for 5 minutes can be used as a buttermilk substitute. This helps maintain the cake’s tenderness and rise.

How do I prevent the ganache drips from running too far down the cake?

Make sure the ganache is cooled to the right temperature—warm enough to flow but cool enough to hold shape. Also, chilling the cake well before dripping helps control how far the ganache runs down the sides.

Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 75 reviews

A rich and decadent Chocolate Ganache Cake featuring moist chocolate layers made with buttermilk and coffee, layered and frosted with silky whipped chocolate ganache and finished with a glossy chocolate ganache drip. Perfect for special occasions or chocolate lovers seeking indulgence.

Author: Tara
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 44 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 12 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chocolate Cake

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups (400 g) granulated white sugar
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) hot coffee

For the Whipped Chocolate Ganache

16 oz (454 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream

For the Chocolate Ganache Drip

3 oz (85 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray three 6-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds; set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer on high speed to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix on medium to medium-high speed until smooth, pale, and slightly fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
Combine Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk: Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture in small batches, mixing on low then medium speed. Mix just until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add Hot Coffee: Pour in hot coffee and mix on low speed just to combine evenly throughout the batter.
Divide and Bake: Evenly distribute the cake batter among the prepared pans. Bake for 39-44 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool Cakes: Let cakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Make Whipped Chocolate Ganache: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a large bowl. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes. Stir gently until silky and smooth. Cool to room temperature, chilling in 10-minute intervals and stirring until a pliable solid forms (about 30 minutes). Whip ganache with electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until pale and buttercream-like.
Prepare Cake Layers: Once cakes are cooled, level domed tops with a sharp knife so layers are flat and even.
Crumb Coat: Place a dollop of whipped ganache on cake turntable, set first layer on top. Spread a generous layer of ganache evenly over top. Repeat with second layer. Add final layer. Apply thin layer of ganache around sides and top to seal crumbs, smoothing with an offset spatula and cake scraper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Final Frosting Layer: Rewhip ganache if needed. Apply a thick, smooth final layer of ganache over cake using offset spatula and cake scraper for a neat finish. Work quickly to avoid stiffening. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
Make Chocolate Ganache Drip: Place chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream in saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool about 5 minutes, then transfer to piping bag or squeeze bottle.
Apply Ganache Drip: After final chill, pipe ganache drips around the edges of the cake, testing drip length on backside to ensure ideal consistency stopping about halfway down sides. Spread remaining ganache evenly on cake top with an offset spatula creating a swirl if desired. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set.
Decorate and Serve: Optional: garnish the cake with chocolate-covered sliced strawberries or other preferred decorations before serving.

Notes

Ensure all ingredients, especially eggs and buttermilk, are at room temperature for best mixing results.
Chilling the whipped ganache multiple times is important to achieve the right piping consistency.
Use a cake turntable and offset spatula for smooth, professional frosting application.
Hot coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but ensure it’s not boiling when added to batter to avoid cooking the eggs.
Let the ganache drip cool to the right temperature before applying to control drip length and appearance.
Store cake refrigerated until serving. Bring to room temperature before eating for best texture and flavor.

Keywords: Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Ganache, Layer Cake, Whipped Ganache, Chocolate Drip Cake, Homemade Chocolate Cake