The Best Homemade Chocolate Ganache Cake — This truly is the best homemade chocolate cake EVER. It’s topped with a smooth chocolate ganache frosting, and it requires just 10 minutes of hands on prep!
Table of Contents
- The Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Ganache
- What is Ganache?
- What’s in Chocolate Ganache Cake?
- How to Make Chocolate Ganache Cake
- Can I Use Another Type of Chocolate for the Ganache?
- Do I Have to Use Brewed Coffee in the Batter?
- Can I Make This Recipe as a Layer Cake?
- Can I Make This Recipe Into Cupcakes?
- Can I Make This Recipe in a 9-Inch Round Cake Pan?
- Can I Use an 8×8-Inch Baking Pan?
- Can I Double This Recipe?
- Can I Substitute the Eggs in This Recipe?
- Should I Refrigerate Homemade Chocolate Cake?
- Tips for the Best Chocolate Cake
- What Readers Are Saying
- Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipe
- More Easy Chocolate Cake Recipes:
The Best Ever Chocolate Cake with Ganache
This is the easiest, one-bowl, five-minute chocolate cake from scratch you’ll ever make. I originally posted this recipe August 27, 2012 and in that time, there have been thousands of very satisfied readers out there who swear by this cake.
If you’re addicted to cake mix, you can break free. I’ve been there. I made this chocolate ganache cake without a mixer and it was ready to go from bowl to oven in less than five minutes with just a couple turns of the whisk.
I’m the first to admit that cake mixes can be great because they’re convenient, the results are nearly guaranteed, and they produce moist and light cakes.
But this chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting does the same. Except it’s darker, richer, and more intensely chocolaty than a cake mix chocolate cake, which is a good thing if you like a nice dark, deeply chocolaty, chocolate cake.
One way in which I kept this homemade chocolate cake moist was by adding yogurt, which can be replaced with sour cream if that’s what you have on hand. Just don’t use light or fat-free yogurt or sour cream.
Use thicker or Greek-style full-fat yogurt. You’re making a moist chocolate cake recipe, not diet food, so forego the watery diet yogurt.
I also kept the use of baking powder to a bare minimum because I find it dries out cupcakes, muffins, and cakes. This moist chocolate ganache cake recipe uses just enough to give the cake lightness and lift so that it isn’t confused with the denser and flatter chocolate slab that we all know as a brownie.
Finally, I do love butter and will almost always choose butter over oil in baking; except when baking a cake. Oil produces a moister cake in my experience.
And since all that lovely buttery flavor is going to be masked anyway from the cocoa powder, you’re not giving up anything in the flavor department and gaining worlds in the moisture category by using oil rather than butter. A win-win for oil.
What is Ganache?
Not sold on this easy chocolate cake recipe yet? Allow me to sell you on the chocolate ganache frosting.
Ganache is made by heating cream and pouring it over chocolate and I kept this ganache super simple by heating the cream in the microwave. You could heat it over the stove, but why bother?
The beauty of the ganache frosting is that even after it sets up, it still has a juicy quality to it in comparison to, say, buttercream frosting, which can become a bit hardened around the edges after it’s been exposed to air for a few hours. Crunchy frosting is never a good thing.
What’s in Chocolate Ganache Cake?
For this easy homemade chocolate cake with ganache, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Granulated sugar
- Yogurt
- Canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Brewed coffee
- Cocoa powder
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
And for the chocolate ganache frosting, you’ll need:
- Semi-sweet chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Chocolate Ganache Cake
If making chocolate cake with chocolate ganache sounds like a hassle, it’s not! Here’s an overview of how the ganache cake is made:
- Make the cake: Whisk together the egg, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla.
- Add in the cocoa powder and coffee and stir to combine.
- Then add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the homemade chocolate cake batter into a greased 9×9-inch baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Make the ganache: Once the chocolate cake is out of the oven, make the chocolate ganache frosting. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until just starting to boil, then pour over the chocolate chips.
- Let it stand for about a minute before whisking to combine.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, then let the chocolate ganache cool for around 10 minutes to thicken up.
- Once the homemade chocolate cake is completely cool, pour over the ganache frosting. The frosting will need about 30 minutes to set up before you can dig in.
Can I Use Another Type of Chocolate for the Ganache?
There’s no sugar added to the ganache, so it’s only as sweet as the chocolate you select, which in my case was semi-sweet chocolate chips. Go as milky or dark as you enjoy.
If you don’t have chocolate chips, you can chop a bar of chocolate instead.
Do I Have to Use Brewed Coffee in the Batter?
The coffee does not make the cake taste like a coffee-flavored cake. Rather, it brings out and enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder and adds depth of flavor.
I highly recommend using coffee in the chocolate cake batter, but use water if you must.
Can I Make This Recipe as a Layer Cake?
Many readers have asked me if they can make this easy chocolate cake recipe as a double layer cake, as a bundt cake, and so on, and the answer to all of those questions is that I’ve only made the cake exactly as the recipe is written below.
However, I have had readers write in the comments that they’ve doubled the cake recipe, baked in a 9×13-inch pan, cut the cake in half, doubled the ganache recipe, added ganache on top of the bottom layer, topped with the other half of the cake, and added more ganache on top.
Definitely give the comments section a read if you have a very specific question about turning this chocolate ganache cake recipe into anything other than a 9×9-inch square cake. And if you do switch up this recipe and are successful, please leave a comment so you can help future readers!
Can I Make This Recipe Into Cupcakes?
Yes, that will likely be fine. Cupcakes generally take about 20 minutes to bake, but some are done in 18 minutes, but baking times vary depending on how full you fill your cupcake liners, your oven and climate, and so forth.
Can I Make This Recipe in a 9-Inch Round Cake Pan?
A 9-inch round cake pan is probably okay, but just make sure when you’re filling it that it’s not getting too full.
Can I Use an 8×8-Inch Baking Pan?
No, an 8×8-inch pan will be a little small and the cake could overflow unless you discard a bit of batter. You need to use a 9×9-inch pan for this recipe, if possible.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, this homemade chocolate cake recipe doubles quite easily. Just note that if you double the ingredients you’ll need to bake this homemade chocolate cake in a 9×13-inch pan.
Can I Substitute the Eggs in This Recipe?
I’ve only made the chocolate ganache cake as written, so I can’t speak to whether an egg substitute (like a flax or chia egg) would work. If you use an egg substitute, please leave me a comment so I know what does / doesn’t work!
Should I Refrigerate Homemade Chocolate Cake?
Once the chocolate ganache frosting is on the cake and it’s had 30 minutes at room temperature to set up, yes, I refrigerate the leftover cake I have.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Cake
Coffee temp: When adding the brewed coffee to the cake batter, note that it can be any temperature other than piping hot. If you add the coffee while it’s still hot, you’ll scramble the egg!
Ganache add-ins: I typically use vanilla extract in the ganache frosting, but feel free to spike your ganache with a couple tablespoons of bourbon, rum, Kahlua, or a complementary liqueur.
Freezer tip: Note that the unfrosted homemade chocolate cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or it can be frozen and thawed for later. If freezing the chocolate cake, I recommend making a fresh batch of chocolate ganache frosting just before you plan on serving it.
What Readers Are Saying
To say this chocolate cake with ganache is a reader favorite is an understatement. If you keep scrolling to the bottom of this post, you’ll find almost 700 comments from readers who have made this recipe!
Here are just a handful of 5-star reviews readers have left on this ganache cake recipe:
“I made this chocolate cake for my granddaughters 18th birthday. It was absolutely delicious!” — Jackie
“Love this cake! My go to chocolate cake recipe when it’s just my husband and myself and we NEED cake!! Also besides the size, I love it is no mixer needed.” — Sharon R.
“Best chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. Perfectly balanced as all things should be. The ganache quality depends on the quality of the chocolate you use so pick a chocolate you love the taste of!” — GR
“This is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had. Rich, decadent, moist, chocolatey just as described. I have found my new go to recipe and I am never looking back.” — Lidia
“This recipe is AMAZING!! And so simple to make! My mom was the first to try this out and she loved it so much, she froze a piece for me for a couple of months, and when I had it, it was so moist and decadent, it felt like it had been made that very same day! Definitely a keeper, thank you so much :)” — Roshni
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Chocolate Ganache Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 ounces plain, vanilla, or chocolate yogurt (thicker Greek-style preferred, do not use diet, fat-free or light yogurt; sour cream may be substituted)
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup brewed coffee, room temperature or warm*
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional
Chocolate Ganache
- 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, about 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract**
Instructions
- Cake
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine egg, sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add coffee, cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s), and whisk vigorously until batter is smooth and free from lumps.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and whisk vigorously until batter has just combined, about 1 minute.
- Pour batter, which is a loose and fairly runny batter, into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until top has set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pan completely, at least 30 minutes, before adding ganache or frosting the cake, or before slicing and serving.
- Chocolate Ganache
- Place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power for 1 minute to soften chocolate; set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, heat the cream (I used half-and-half) on high power just until it begins to bubble and show signs of boiling, about 60 to 75 seconds.
- Pour hot cream over chocolate and let it stand about 1 minute. Whisk vigorously until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth and velvety.
- Add vanilla or optional flavorings and stir to combine. Set bowl aside for about 10 minutes, allowing ganache to cool and thicken a bit.
- Whisk mixture briefly before pouring all of it over the cake. Lightly smooth and spread the ganache with a spatula or offset knife.
- Allow ganache to set up for at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving the cake; or speed this process up by placing pan in the refrigerator or freezer briefly.
Notes
- Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or store frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- *Note about the coffee: The coffee does not make the cake taste like a coffee-flavored cake. Rather, it brings out and enhances the flavor of the cocoa powder and adds depth of flavor; I highly recommend coffee but use water if you must. The coffee can be any temperature other than piping hot; you don’t want to scramble the egg.
- **Or optionally use 1 to 2 tablespoons rum, bourbon, coffee-, orange-, raspberry-, chocolate-flavored liqueur.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I use the ganache frosting to frost a 3-layer cake? Is it thick enough to hold up on it’s own between the layers of cake and sides of cake? Thank you!
It would be borderline although you could adjust it to make it a thicker ganache by using less cream/half and half.
Please read over the Baking and Recipe FAQs https://www.averiecooks.com/faq for answers to the most common questions.
Hi Averie,
I’ve used this chocolate cake recipe often enough now that I have had to Pin it. At our house it’s called BS cake. Last year my husband asked for an impromptu chocolate cake for his birthday. Okay. I found your recipe. Soon enough, it became not just his birthday, but his “Birthday Season,” which guaranteed a few more of these chocolate cakes before all was said and done (his purpose in declaring it birthday season in the first place).
Today is my nine-year-old’s birthday party, and she has asked for BS cake, too. I guess I’d better make sure I can always find your recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing it—
Melanie
I love the stories you have associated with this cake! How fun and so glad it’s turned into an all-seasons, and all-birthdays, ‘BS Cake’. Thanks for pinning and so glad you and your family love this cake!
Sorry, it wouldn’t let me comment to your reply. I use Fage 2% plain and my flour was not packed. Not sure why, but must have had a bad baking day. The ganache didn’t get very thick and kept running all over lol. I made a round cake in a spring form. Cut part of the top of it to make it more flat and I think it helped too cause some of the ganache went into the cake. My younger son who doesn’t like anything cake was happy to have ganache on his ice cream though. My birthday boy loved it and will most likely eat the rest of the cake himself as I am not a fan of cake, especially chocolate and I think hubby said he thought it was too much chocolate as well. But as long as the birthday boy was happy I am too :) I will most likely try it again when he liked it so much and maybe try it with sour cream to see if it makes a difference. BTW My son says Thank you!
Thanks for LMK what you used. Your Fage sounds similar to what my yogurt is probably like…I have made the cake with Greek yogurt, yogurt, sour cream, lite versions, whatever I have had on hand and it’s never came out anything but great for me – but it sounds like your cake itself was great!
Sounds like the ganache was a little thin. If that happens again to you, just add more chocolate! And/or with this recipe now that you know this, reduce the amount of cream you add and keep the chocolate the same.
As long as your bday boy was happy, that’s all that matters! Thanks for trying the recipe!
I just put this in the oven as my son picked this cake for his birthday today. Fingers crossed cause I just saw that you said the batter will be very runny….mine was more like chocolate pudding and I double checked that I didn’t miss any ingredients so I guess we’ll see.
Could have just been your yogurt was thicker OR you could have hard-packed the flour and over-measured it making the batter thicker. Happy Bday to your son!
Ms. Averie…thank you so much for your timely reply!
understood!
I used the 9 inch square pan and it turned out really super well!
I am just beginning to bake and the first time for anything is an ok thing–
THIS TIME, great success!
Thank you!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Ms. Averie…in the recipe above, you have a 9 x9 inch pan, cover with foil,
then grease and flour a 10 inch round pan
am I reading this correctly?
did you mean just the 9 x 9 inch pan which is covered with foil, greased, and floured?
Thank you for your kind attention.
You can use a 9-inch SQUARE or a 10-inch ROUND. A 9-inch round will not likely be large enough to hold all the batter which is why I specified that; but I always make this in a 9×9 square. Enjoy the cake!
I’ve made this cake about 10 times and every time it comes out perfect. Thank you so much for this awesome recipes. I follow the recipe to the T. I use a really good chocolate bar for the ganache which makes a big difference.
Thanks for making it so many times and glad it comes out perfectly every time! And yes the better quality chocolate you can use, you’ll always get even better results!
Hi Averie,
Thanks for your reply. I live in the US and its winter now hence I asked. Also, would adding sour cream make the cake taste little sour?
Hi Averie, the chocolate ganache cake looks absolutely delicious! I was going to make this for a small get together with friends. One concern I had is if I make the cake in the morning and needs to be served the same evening, do I keep the cake with the ganache refrigerated and then leave it our for about 30 mins before serving?
I do not want the ganache to harden while serving. Please advice!
Thanks!
Mine never hardens fully in the fridge but you will have to play things by ear because all ingredients and climates vary.
great receipe…..but I have dark cooking chocolate instead of chocolate chips…..how much do u think I should use it….
Probably about the same as the chocolate chips BUT I haven’t tried with anything other than chips so not sure how exactly it will (or won’t) set up with anything other than chips.
You do a great job of explaining every step of making this cake. Can’t wait to try!