Best Chocolate Ganache Layer Cake Recipes

THREE-LAYER CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Beat in mayonnaise, coffee and vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For filling, in a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually beat in cooled mixture. Stir in chocolate chips., For ganache, place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until cold. Beat ganache just until soft peaks form, 15-30 seconds (do not overbeat)., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with half of the filling. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with ganache. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate, cream and butter. Microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes or until smooth, stirring twice. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over cake, allowing some to flow over sides. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
• Combine buttermilk and eggs in another bowl and add melted chocolate mixture. Beat into flour mixture on low speed for 1 minute; increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until it thickens and is smooth. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate and spread with a layer of ganache frosting. Lay the second layer on top and use remaining ganache frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

HAZELNUT LAYER CAKE WITH ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM, CHOCOLATE FRANGELICO GANACHE AND TOASTED AND GILDED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F on convection or 350 degrees F in a regular oven.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the hazelnut and all purpose flour, breaking up any lumps. Set aside.
• In the mixing bowl of a 20-quart standing mixer set on high speed, whip together the whole eggs and 2 pounds of sugar until tripled in volume, pale yellow and forming thick ribbons, warming the bowl of the mixer with a propane torch to increase the volume of the eggs. Set aside.
• In another mixing bowl of a 20-quart standing mixer set on high speed, whip the egg whites and remaining 1 3/4 pounds sugar until thick, glossy, and firm peaks form. Fold the flour mixture into the whole egg and sugar mixture, and then fold in the egg whites.
• Divide the batter equally onto 6 (18-by-26-inch) parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until the corners brown and the batter doesn't adhere to your fingers when you touch the cake, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• To assemble the cake: Place a layer of the hazelnut cake on a prepared cake board or inverted sheet pan. Brush with about one-sixth of the simple syrup and spread a generous layer of the buttercream over top. Place another layer of the cake on top and soak with the simple syrup. Spread a layer of buttercream and then a layer of ganache. Place the next layer of cake and repeat the previous steps until you have used all 6 layers of hazelnut sponge cake, ending with a layer of buttercream on the top. Chill the cake completely to set. When chilled, trim the sides, and frost with a final layer of buttercream, reserving some buttercream for garnish. Return to the refrigerator again to set the top. Spread the remaining ganache over the top to make a smooth finished coat. Trim any excess ganache from the sides of the cake. Press the toasted and chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake. Decorate the cake with buttercream piped from a star tip filled pastry bag, and decorate with the gilded hazelnuts.
• Combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar is dissolved and the alcohol has evaporated. Cool completely.
• Pour sugar and just enough water to moisten it in a large heavy bottomed pot. Bring sugar to a boil, stirring constantly. Brush down any sugar crystals that form on the side of the pot with pastry brush dipped in water. Once the sugar has come to a boil, stop stirring and cook the sugar to the soft ball stage or 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. When the sugar reaches 240 degrees F, reduce the heat to low and whip the egg whites on high speed in a 20-quart standing mixer to firm peaks. While the mixer is on high, carefully pour the melted sugar into the whipped egg whites, being careful not to burn yourself on the molten sugar. Once the sugar is combined with the egg whites, reduce the mixer speed to medium, and continue to whip the egg whites and sugar until completely cool, approximately 30 minutes. When the egg white meringue is cool, turn the mixer back up to high, and gradually add the cubed butter. The butter may separate and become watery, but continue to whip on high until the water is re-incorporated. It is very important that the egg white meringue is completely cool so as not to melt the butter. When all the butter has been added, continue to beat until the buttercream is smooth and creamy. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the coffee and vanilla extracts.
• Place chocolate pieces in a large bowl. Bring the heavy cream and Frangelico to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes and then whisk together until smooth and all of the chocolate is melted. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature so it reaches a spreadable consistency.
• Lightly spray the hazelnuts with nonstick cooking spray and wipe off any excess. Place a single nut on the gold leaf and gently brush the gold onto the nut. Set aside to garnish the finished cake.

FOUR-LAYER CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Heat chocolate, coffee, and ⅔ cup cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (water should not touch bottom of bowl), stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool, then whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla into chocolate mixture.
• Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups flour in a large bowl just to combine. Add brown sugar, oil, ½ cup butter, and ½ cup reserved chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until flour is evenly distributed and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining chocolate mixture in 2 additions, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
• Bake cake until top is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Using a serrated knife and moving it back and forth in long, even strokes, carefully halve cakes lengthwise.
• Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a platter. Using a rubber spatula, spread one-third of ganache over cake, spreading to edges. Place another cake layer, cut side down, on top and spread another third of ganache over cake. Repeat process once more with another cake layer and remaining ganache; top with remaining cake layer (leave top bare). Chill cake 1-8 hour.
• Spread buttercream all over top and sides of chilled cake, making decorative swirls and swooshes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

TWO LAYER CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350.
• 2. Lightly butter and flour two 8 inch cake pans.
• 3. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, mix on low until combined.
• 4. In another bowl combine buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla thoroughly.
• 5. With the mixer on low slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
• .6. Once ingredients are combined add the coffee slowly with the machine still on low speed (the batter will look slightly liquidy).
• 7. Pour equal parts of the batter into the cake pans and put into the preheated oven.
• 8. Cook for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
• 9. Once done let sit in cake pans for 30 minutes and then to finish cooling on a cooling rack.
• 10. Chop the chocolate into small shards and place into a food processor.
• 11. Warm cream in the microwave until it starts to simmer (DO NOT BOIL).
• 12. Pour cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes and then pulse until smooth.
• 13. Let the ganache cool in the fridge for 15 minutes and then spread on the cakes.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FOR BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool completely, stirring often with a rubber spatula.

FOUR-LAYER CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE & NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM RECIPE - (4.4/5)

Steps:

• CAKE: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter two 9"-diameter cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Heat chocolate, coffee, and ⅔ cup cocoa powder in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water (water should not touch bottom of bowl), stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool, then whisk eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 cups flour in a large bowl just to combine. Add brown sugar, oil, ½ cup butter, and ½ cup reserved chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed until flour is evenly distributed and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Add remaining chocolate mixture in 2 additions, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake cake until top is firm to the touch and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer cake pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. Using a serrated knife and moving it back and forth in long, even strokes, carefully halve cakes lengthwise. GANACHE: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. Bring cream and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour over chocolate; let sit 10 minutes, then whisk gently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and glossy. Let ganache cool, 30 to 45 minutes. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter into ganache until mixture is light and fluffy and has turned matte, about 3 minutes. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a platter. Using a rubber spatula, spread one-third of ganache over cake, spreading to edges. Place another cake layer, cut side down, on top and spread another third of ganache over cake. Repeat process once more with another cake layer and remaining ganache; top with remaining cake layer (leave top bare). Chill cake 1 to 8 hours. BUTTERCREAM: While cake is chilling, beat egg yolks, egg, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until mixture is pale and thick and falls back onto itself in a slowly dissipating ribbon, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring sugar and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Clip thermometer to the side of saucepan and boil, swirling pan (do not stir), until thermometer registers 238˚F. Immediately remove from heat. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually stream hot sugar syrup into eggs aiming for where the egg meets the side of the bowl (this will prevent hot sugar from splattering). Increase speed to high and beat mixture until light and fluffy and sides of bowl are cool to the touch, 5 to 8 minutes. Add butter a piece at a time, beating to thoroughly incorporate before adding the next piece and scraping down sides of bowl often. Add Nutella and vanilla and beat, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until mixture is smooth and homogenous. Spread buttercream all over top and sides of chilled cake, making decorative swirls and swooshes. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Do Ahead: Cake can be assembled 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE FOR CHESTNUT CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Place chocolate in a small bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap for several minutes. Remove wrap, and stir until chocolate is completely smooth and melted. Set ganache aside in a cool place, and let stand until thickened to the consistency of thick cake batter, 10 to 15 minutes.

THREE LAYER CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Grease generously and flour three 8" round pans.
• 2. Stir together sugar, flour, dark cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
• 3. Add eggs, both milks, oil and vanilla. beat on medium speed of your mixer for 2 minutes.
• 4. Carefully stir in boiling water.
• 5. Pour batter evenly into three 8" prepared pans. You don't have to measure, I just eye ball it! LOL
• 6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 to 10 minutes, remove your cakes onto your wire racks.
• 7. While they are cooling, mix in a small dish 1 tablespoon dark cocoa and 2 tablespoon powdered sugar. Dust the tops of each round cake while still warm on your cooling rack.
• 8. Place one section on your desired dish or cake board. I put a little frosting on the bottom to keep it from sliding. Frost the top with a chocolate butter cream frosting. ****Here is where you can get creative with several different fillings. I have also used a raspberry cream cheese frosting. "Yummy"
• 9. On the "bottom" of your next layer coat with a whipped cream frosting.
• 10. Flip on top of the coated butter cream section. Continue with your next layer.
• 11. Take the rest of your whipped cream frosting and "cap" off your cake making it as round as you can. Don't use too much!
• 12. Place your cake in the freezer. Make your chocolate ganache: Heat up in a small saucepan 1 cup heavy whipping cream to almost a boil.
• 13. remove from heat and pour in your corn syrup and chocolate chips. Stir until chips dissolve. Using a wire whisk, whip it until very smooth.
• 14. Take your frozen cake out. If it seems a little off square you can smooth it off by putting a little water on your frosting spatula and gently (not adding water to the cake) smooth it flat. Remove your cake with a LARGE cake spatula onto a wire rack with a cookie sheet below. (This is easy because it's frozen). Start pouring the ganache on top of the cake letting it flow down the sides. Carefully place it back on your serving plate. For the bottom edge I press a little crushed chocolate graham crackers.
• 15. It may seem like a lot of work but it is truly a wonderful cake!

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• FOR CAKE: Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour 2 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2 inch high sides. Place cocoa in small bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water; whisk until smooth. Cool. Combine milk & lemon juice in another small bowl. Let stand until milk forms some thick curds, about 10 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt into medium bowl. Using mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until blended. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in cocoa mixture and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternately with milk mixture in 2 additions. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks. Cut around cakes to loosen & turn out of pans. For frosting: Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and salt; stir until meltec and smooth. Refrigerate until cold, about 25 minutes. Using mixer, beat frosting until just lighter in color, about 1 minute. ****This thickens very quickly, so don't overbeat. Assembly: Place 1 cake layer flat side up, on plate. Spread with 2 cups frosting. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting thickly over top and sides of cake.

CHOCOLATE HONEY GANACHE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350. Spray two 10 inch round cake pans (with at least 2 inch sides) with cooking spray and line the bottom of each with parchment. Sift both cocoa powders into a medium bowl. Whisk in the coffee and then the honey. Let cool completely. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed. Gradually add the oil, beating until just combined. Add the brown sugar and sugar. Raise the mixer speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well on medium high speed just after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating just until combined.
• With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture in three additions and the cocoa mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour (scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary). Beat just until combined. Divide the batter between the two pans, using an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Tap the pans once or twice on the counter to settle the batter.
• Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of each cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 40-50 minutes. Cool the cakes in their pans on a rack for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife along the sides of the pan, invert the cakes onto the rack, and remove the pans and the parchment. Let cool completely.
• Make the ganache: Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Combine the heavy cream and honey in a 2 quart saucepan. Stir with a silicone spatula over medium high heat until the honey dissolves into the cream, about 30 seconds. Just as the cream comes to a simmer, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.
• Let stand for about 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the butter, rum (if using), and vanilla until the butter is melted and the mixture is glossy. Cool the ganache at room temperature for at least 8 hours. It will thicken as it cools. (The ganache can sit, covered, at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
• Frost the cake: Set one of the cake layers on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup ganache over the surface of the cake. Top with the second layer and spread a very thin layer of ganache over the top and sides of the cake to seal in any crumbs. Refrigerate 5-10 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set. Spread the remaining ganache evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
• Make the chocolate curls: To decorate the cake with chocolate curls, if using, soften the chocolate in the microwave on high power for 30-35 seconds. Scrape a vegetable peeler firmly down one side of the chocolate block to form thick curls. Put the curls on a plate and refrigerate until they're firm enough to handle. Scatter over the top of the frosted cake.