Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Filling
- ¾ cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
Moist Chocolate Cake
- 1 ¾ cup Cake Flour
- 1 ¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup Mayo (room temperature)
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter (melted)
- 2 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Sour Cream (room temperature)
- ¼ cup Milk (room temperature)
- 1 cup Hot Coffee
Chocolate Syrup
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Cream Cheese Chocolate Frosting
- 1 ½ cups Salted Butter (room temperature)
- 12 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 4 ½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Make chocolate ganache first so that it has time to cool. In a separate bowl, add heavy cream and microwave for 1 minute. Add chocolate chips and allow the chips to sit in the warm cream for 2-3 minutes, then add butter and mix together until everything is smooth. (Pro tip: If the chocolate doesn’t fully melt, add to the microwave again in 10-15 second increments)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 8-inch baking pan with nonstick baking spray or parchment paper and set aside. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, brown sugar, mayo, oil, and melted butter. Mix for 1-2 minutes, until combined and no longer oily. Then add eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk. Continue to mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gently mix together, about 20 seconds. Then pour the hot coffee on top. Allow the coffee to sit on top for 30 seconds, then mix it into the batter until combined, about 15-20 seconds. Divide the batter to the pans and bake for about 24-26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Now, make the chocolate syrup. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar is just dissolved, about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack. Use a pastry brush to brush on the chocolate syrup, then allow the cakes to cool completely.
- Prepare chocolate frosting. Add butter, cream cheese, and cocoa powder to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and no longer lumpy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and reduce speed to low. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. (pro tip: mix until the powdered is just combined and smooth. If you mix the frosting too long, it will become runny)
- Place one of the cooled cakes onto a cake stand. Add a thin layer of frosting on top. Add some of the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill with half of the cooled chocolate ganache. place the second layer on top and repeat.
- Place the third layer on top and add a thin coat of frosting to the outside of the cake then place into the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Add the remainder of the frosting around the cake and top with chocolate chips.