Double Chocolate Cake with Ganache

This recipe makes a soft moist chocolate cake that is perfect for birthdays or if you just feel like a chocolaty treat. The chocolate cake is delicious with a gorgeous texture and the chocolate ganache makes the cake a little extra special.

The recipe calls for cocoa powder which gives the cake a rich chocolatey taste that will leave you wanting more. The chocolate ganache is prepared using double cream (known as heavy cream in the US) which is added to plain chocolate and together they make a rich, smooth velvety ganache that can be used as frosting for any type of chcolate cake. The ganache can also be used to make truffles, ganache tarts and many other chocolatey treats including my Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache Frosting.

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Cake with Ganache

For the cake

• 275g golden caster sugar
• 175g vegetable fat spread
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 175g natural yoghurt
• 225g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (baking soda)

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 150ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 25g granulated sugar
• 300g finely chopped plain chocolate or dark callets (53% cocoa)

How to Make Double Chocolate Cake with Ganache

1. Preheat the oven to gas make 3/325^oF/170^oC then grease and line a 23cm (9inch) baking tin with non-stick baking paper. Dust the inside of the tin with flour then tap out the excess.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the golden caster sugar and the vegetable spread until smooth an fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract and yoghurt then sift in flour, cocoa and bicarbonate soda and stir until fully combined.

3. Spoon or pour mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface then bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre comes out clean. Place the tin onto a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make the chocolate ganache

4. Once the cake has comepletely cooled, weigh out the plain chocolate in a heat resistant mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, heat the double cream and sugar until they begin to boil. Ensure you do not leave the cream unattended as it will boil over. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and ensure all the chocolate is submerged in the cream. Leave to stand for 4 minutes so the chocolate begins to melt. Stir the mixture until it is fully combined and the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Cover with cling film ensuring cling film touches the mixture.

5. Leave to stand until the ganache is at the right consistency for you, then using a palette knife spread the ganache all over the cake and create your desired effect.

Recipe Tips

• Purchase vegetable fat spread without any hydrogenated fats (trans fat) as these types of fats are thought to be bad for health.
• Prepare the ganache once the chocolate cake has completely cooled so that when you get the ganache to your ideal consistency you have the option to use it immediately.
• For the chocolate ganache, plain chocolate should be used. The cocoa content should be around 53% cocoa. The cream amount in the recipe is only based on using chocolate with around 50% cocoa. If you use chocolate with around 60% cocoa then you will need the same weight of chocolate as cream and if you use chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage you will need more cream.
• Prepare the ganache and let it sit at room temperature. As it cools down it will begin to set. You can refrigerate the ganache to speed up the process but beware it will harden the longer it is in the fridge so do not leave it in the fridge longer than 20 minutes.
• Once you have prepared the ganache, lay some cling film over the mixture ensuring the cling film is touching the ganache. This will prevent skin formation from the cream building up on the ganache.
• You can cover the cake in ganache once it is has completely cooled, but it is usually easier to cover the cake the following day as the cake would have set properly.

Nutrition

Calories	Fat	Saturates	Carbs
375kcal	21.2g	9.6g	38.8g
Sugars	Fibre	Protein	Salt
28.0g	1.3g	5.3g	0.3g

Storage

• Due to the double cream in the ganache, any left over cake should be stored in the refrigerator and can last for up to 3 days. Store in an airtight container.
• If the weather is hot or humid then store in the fridge immediately until serving.
• Ensure you bring the cake to room temperature before serving from the fridge.
• Unfrosted cake can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Recipes that may interest you

• Double Chocolate Cupcakes with a Silky Ganache Frosting
• The Most Fudgy Peppermint Brownies
• Chocolate Ganache Tarts with Pistachio Nuts