CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH WHIPPED GANACHE FROSTING

Ever feel like chocolate cake just isn't... chocolatey enough? This cake triples down on chocolate flavor with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and some brewed coffee and espresso powder to bump up that chocolate flavor.

Can I do this without coffee and espresso powder?

Absolutely! You can substitute water for coffee, and the espresso you can simply leave out.

How much more of the frosting would I need to make to cover the entire cake?

A double batch should do the trick! Thats 2 cups each of heavy cream and chocolate chips, 12 oz. cream cheese, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. (Don't forget that pinch of salt!)

What kind of frosting could I make instead of the whipped ganache?

You could always go classic with buttercream! Our chocolate buttercream is super delicious, and it also gets a boost of flavor from espresso powder. If you're looking for something simpler, this cake would be super delicious served with a big dollop of homemade whipped cream too!

How do you make the chocolate curls?

Take a bar of chocolate (milk, white, or dark all work) and use a vegetable peeler to shave long pieces off the skinny side of the chocolate bar. We've found that room temperature chocolate produces much nicer curls than cold chocolate.

Why are there no eggs in this recipe?

Well, as you can see from the above video, I tested a lot of chocolate cakes. It just so happened that the ones made without eggs ended up having our favorite texture! The things that eggs provide in baking like structure, rising, and fat are all accounted for by other ingredients in this recipe. For example, we've got a chemical leavener in the form of baking soda, so we don't need the natural leavening whipped egg whites provide.

How far in advance can I make this cake?

You can make the cake up to a week in advance! When it has cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS

FOR CAKE

Nonstick cooking spray

3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. espresso powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup freshly brewed coffee

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. chocolate curls, for garnish (optional)

FOR FROSTING

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream

6 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Pinch kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 170, line two 8" round cake pans with parchment paper and spray them with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine brown sugar, buttermilk, coffee, and vegetable oil.

Add wet ingredients to bowl with dry ingredients and whisk to combine. (Some lumps are ok!) Divide batter between prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 33 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack, 45 minutes to an hour.

Place chocolate chips in a medium, heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When bubbles begin to break the surface around the edges of the pan, turn off the heat. Pour the hot cream over chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir gently until the sauce is smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until fully incorporated. Add a couple tablespoons of ganache and beat to combine with cream cheese. Slowly beat in the rest of the ganache, add a pinch of salt, and beat until soft peaks form. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Build cake:

Level cakes with a large serrated knife by holding knife horizontal to cake and slicing a thin layer off the tops until even. Place a small dab of frosting in the center of your serving plate to prevent it from sliding. Place first cake in center of serving dish, then frost the top with 1/2 the frosting. Add the second cake layer and frost the top with remaining frosting. If using, top with chocolate curls.