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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Hi Averie! Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I made this cake, and it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! I stored the leftovers in the fridge and the frosting became rather stiff. I could peel it off. I LOVE chocolate, but when the frosting becomes hard, it’s too much. I know, I can’t believe I just said that! :-) Does the cake need to be refrigerated? Thank you again for this awesome recipe!
I don’t refrigerate the cake but do as you enjoy. If your frosting becomes stiff, you could possibly increase the volume of milk or cut back the amt of chocolate just slightly, that will thin it out a bit and probably keep it from becoming stiff. Or use whole milk or half and half rather than a heavier cream so it stays thinner. But glad to know you love, love the fake and it WAS the best chocolate cake you’ve ever had. Thanks for telling me! :)
Well I made this cake again last week and took it to friends who are diabetic, they loved it, I told them I had made it sugar free with the agave, they couldnt belive how moist and rich it was! I then again made it tonight for dessert again with the agave for my husband so he can enjoy it.. We love this cake! I have to make it as the recipe calls for sugar I just know it is good! The very best chocolate cake ever, and I have been baking for over 40 years!
Wow that is such high praise that you deem this the very best ever chocolate cake, and that you’ve been baking for over 40 years! Thank you, thank you!
And I think it’s pretty cool that you’re making cakes with agave for your diabetic friends and that you were able to pull this baby off totally sugar free!
I don’t know if you’re into pumpkin, and I realize the season is a bit past it’s prime right now, but my pumpkin cake along with this choc cake are my two fave cakes on my blog!
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bundt-cake-with-chocolate-ganache.html
I made this last night, sold on the recipe based on all of the good reviews, and I agree – the cake was amazing. I had someone tell me that they hate chocolate and they never eat it, yet they loved the cake so much they wanted the recipe. Thank you!!
I am so glad to hear you made it, you loved it, AND the chocolate hater (<--- baffling!!) loved it and wanted the recipe. Now that's success! Thanks for making it and for coming back to let me know your field report!
I found this by way of Pinterest and just had to make it the next day. I have a husband who is diabetic so I needed to make it sugar free. I used agave nectar, oh my did this cake turn out scrumptious and it was truly sugar free, no sugar in the cake and none in the ganash! Thanks for a wonderful recipe that can be made gluten free. P.s. I used a half cup of agave nectar in place of the one cup of sugar.
Thanks for finding me and for making this and so glad that you love the recipe – AND that you were able to make it totally sugar free, wow! By way of 1/2 cup agave nectar. I love agave and usually use it in all my no-bake/raw cookie dough balls and glad to hear you had success with it in this cake. Thanks for the feedback!
I don’t usually comment on a blog post but here I am munching away and wanna salute you on this amazing recipe! It’s so simple and yet results in awesomeness. Btw I truly appreciate how you continue to reply each and every comment on here, not all bloggers do that. Keep up the reachable-ness, if that’s even a word. Kudos.
I try my best to reply to comments; especially those in which someone told me they made something of mine. That person took the time to try a recipe, spent their time, money, and energy on something I recommended and whether they loved it or not, the fact they tried it and came back to tell me about it – I definitely feel like I want to and should at least reply! But thanks for the encouragement to keep up with it.
And thanks for trying this recipe and glad that you love the simplicity + awesome results! Me too :)
This cake is literally the best cake I have ever made or had. It’s like when you walk into a cafe or bakery and you see all those decadent looking chocolate cakes, and then you taste them, and you’re disappointed because they’re never nearly as good as what you had imagined in your head, but this cake exceeds that; it’s better than you could ever imagine it to be. It’s so indulgent, it’s a luxury to eat. And the best part is, you can follow the recipe exactly and without a doubt, it will turn out perfect. Thank you for you’re beautiful recipe, I will make this time and time again :)
Jacqui, you just made my day. I love this comment and that you had such success with the recipe.
That it’s the best cake you’ve ever had, or made; and that it ranks right up there with decadent-looking bakery cakes (and I totally concur, they are usually mediocre at best, and almost always a disappointment and underwhelming).
I took a ridiculous amount of time in creating this recipe with research, testing, trialing to make sure it was *the best* chocolate cake I have ever had and that’s easily re-creatable by others without 17 different types of specialty ingredients, flours, milks, etc. I am so glad you love it :)
THE best cake I have ever made!! You have me converted; no more cake mix. This was as easy to make as a mix and so, so, so, SO much better tasting.
Maybe the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten, and I made it myself. You are a genius! :)
This comment made my day – thank you! You love the cake, it’s possibly the best cake you’ve ever had, and you happened to make it, and you’re done with boxed mix. WOOT!!! :)