The Best Chocolate Cake You Will Ever Have Recipe

Dominique Ansel, “The Perfect Chocolate Cake”

Dominique Ansel, “The Perfect Chocolate Cake”

When it comes to dessert, cake is my thing. While I will never say no to ice cream, I will always say yes to a good piece of cake.

I’ve been trying to dabble more in the kitchen through this pandemic, and I was so glad to come across Dominique Ansel’s “The Perfect Chocolate Cake” recipe (you know, the hero that made the cronut).

It’s easy to make with only a handful of ingredients. Do me a favor and please try making this cake at home - it’s truly heaven on a plate, especially if you’re a chocolate lover!

The Best Chocolate You Will Ever Have

  • Total Time: 2 hours (including 1 hour cake baking time)

  • Servings: 8

Ingredients

equipment

  • 8-inch cake pan

  • 8-inch cake board

  • Large knife

  • Plastic spatula

  • Icing spatula

  • Large mixing bowl

For the cake

  • 1 1/2 cup AP Flour (plus more for pan dusting)

  • 1 1/2 cup Sugar

  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened C0coa Powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt

  • 2 Large Eggs

  • 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

  • 1 cup Whole Milk

For the ganache

  • 1 3/4 cup of semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate chopped (*make sure to use quality dark chocolate like Valrhona. Some chocolate bars contain additives or artificial ingredients that will prevent you from getting the silky consistency you’re aiming for when making ganache).

  • 1 1/4 cup of heavy cream

  • 4 tablespoon of whole milk

  • 4 tablespoon of unsalted butter

Instructions

For the cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.

  • Butter the bottom, sides, and edges of the cake pan. Pour in some flour and shake around until evenly coated. Tap out any excess.

  • Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until combined.

  • Whisk together eggs, vegetable oil, and milk in a medium bowl until combined.

  • Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing with a spatula until combined to create a smooth chocolate batter.

  • Pour batter into the prepared cake pan.

  • Bake until cake is set in the center, approximately one hour. To check if the cake is done, stick a sharp knife into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done.

  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

  • While the cake is still warm, place a large plate over it, flip the plate and pan together over; the cake should easily slide out on the plate. If not, run a knife along the side of the pan to help the cake fall out.

for the ganache

  • Chop the chocolate with a food processor and pour into a large mixing bowl.

  • Combine the heavy cream and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

  • Slowly pour half of the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and stir until chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

  • Once the mixture is fully combined, add in the other half of the hot cream mixture and stir until combined again.

  • Melt the butter in a small bowl with the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the mixture and stir until combined.

  • Put the ganache in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

layering the cake

  • Use a large knife and cup the cooled cake into 3 layers. Discard the top of the cake that is hard.

  • Take the ganache out of the fridge (it’s been cooling for 30 minutes) and check for soft butter-like consistency. If it is still too watery, put it back in the fridge and chill for longer. If it is too hard, let the ganache sit in room temperature until it softens.

  • Place the first layer of cake on the cake board.

  • Use the icing spatula, spread a layer of ganache on the cake.

  • Repeat this process. Place the second layer of cake on top, and spread another layer of ganache.

  • Spread the ganache on top of the final layer of cake, and also spread around the sides of the cake until the entire cake is covered by ganache.

  • Put the cake in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.

Finally, bringing it all together

  • Microwave the remaining ganache for 15 seconds until an almost liquid consistency.

  • Prepare a pan big enough to place the cake upon. Cover the pan with saran wrap. This will catch any overflowing ganache in the next step.

  • Take the cake out of the fridge and place it on the prepared pan.

  • Take the liquid ganache and drizzle all over the cake for the final finish. Use the icing spatula and “push” the liquid ganache over the sides of the cake for an even and glossy finish.

  • You are done! Take the cake off the pan and enjoy. Dig in and indulge!

  • *Pick up the saran wrap from the pan and “squeeze” any remaining chocolate ganache into a container to be used later.

 
recipePaulina Yehrecipe, cake, chococlate, chocolate cake, dessert, sweets