The Best Ultimate Chocolate Cake

FOR WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 300 g Dark Chocolate(54%) chopped
• 100 g Milk Chocolate chopped
• 320 g (approx. 1 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp) Double Cream/Heavy Cream
• 28 g (2 tbsp) Unsalted butter softened to room temperature 

FOR TWO CHOCOLATE CAKES

• 260 g (2 cups) Plain flour/all-purpose flour 
• 72 g (2/3 cup) Cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 g (2 tsp) Baking powder
• 4 g (1 tsp) Baking soda
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract 
• 1 tsp instant coffee 
• 112 ml (1/2 cup) Hot water
• 140 g (2/3 cup) Vegetable oil
• 4 eggs (Weight without shell = 203 g), Uk-medium size
• 300 g (1 1/2 cup) Caster Sugar
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Whole milk (full fat)
• 120 g (1/2 cup) Sour Cream

FOR MILK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

• 150 g Milk Chocolate, chopped
• 150 ml (approx. 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) Double Cream/Heavy cream
• 2 tbsp Golden syrup
• 1 tbsp Honey

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

• 2 7” round cake pans
• Wire rack
• Baking sheet
• Offset spatula 
• Electric beater
• Turntable

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1. Break up the dark & milk chocolate into cubes or very small pieces and place in a heat-safe bowl. Place a bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (only fill the saucepan with 1 or 2 inches of water). Make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. When the chocolate melts, take room temperature double cream/heavy cream + honey and add to the melted chocolate. Stir the ganache constantly and gently until it’s smooth. Add softened butter and mix to combine. Once they are well combined, remove them from the heat. Set aside to cool it slightly at room temperature. Stir it again and cover the ganache with a piece of plastic wrap pressed against the surface to prevent the crust from forming. Leave it at room temperature to cool down for 30 minutes.
2. Now pop in the fridge to thicken up and cool completely for at least 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Stir it after every 30 minutes as it sets in the fridge so it remains even and smooth.
3. Now take out the chocolate ganache from the fridge and beat it on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light in colour and fluffy, using a hand-held electric beater or a stand mixer.
4. It is ready to use in the layering and frosting of the cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Grease the 7” round cake pans with vegetable oil or butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat the fan oven to 155C/311F (175C/347F for a conventional oven)
2. Sift plain flour/all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder and whisk them together and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, and whisk for a minute. Add sugar + vanilla extract then whisk them until combined. Add vegetable oil, sour cream and milk, and whisk again to mix it well. Make sure to scrape the bowl down.
4. Now add in the dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined (avoid over-mixing). Scrape the bowl down.
5. In a separate cup mix together boiling water and instant coffee then add it to the batter very slowly little by little and gently mix after each addition until combined. Avoid adding the hot water at once otherwise, you will end up with scrambled eggs.
6. The batter will be very thin, but don’t worry because it will bake into an amazingly moist cake. Pour this batter equally into two pans and tap on the kitchen counter to remove the bubbles.
7. Bake in the preheated fan oven at 155C/311F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool the cakes for 15 minutes in the pan at room temperature. After that, use a spreader knife to run around the edges of the cake pan to release the cake easier and flip it over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Wrap the cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, let the cake cool completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

MILK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

1. Place the chopped chocolate and room temperature double cream in a heat-safe measuring jug and microwave it for 30 seconds then at 25 seconds intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate has melted. Now add honey and golden syrup, and stir it gently using a spatula until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 
2. Let it cool slightly before pouring over the chilled frosted cake.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

1. With the help of a long serrated bread knife, horizontally cut each cake into 2 layers to create 4 layers from two cakes. Place a cake board on a cake turntable. Place a dollop of frosting on your cake board. Place the first layer of cake down on the cake board and spread a generous amount of whipped chocolate ganache over the cake layer. Place the second layer of cake on top. Spread some whipped ganache over the cake layer again. Place the third layer of cake on top, and spread the whipped chocolate ganache over the cake layer. Place the fourth layer of cake on top and frost the cake all over with the whipped ganache.
2. This is the first coat (crumb coat). Pop the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the coating. Frost the cake all over with a final coat of whipped chocolate ganache. Smooth the top with a pallet knife and the sides with a bench scraper.
3. To make frosting smooth, fill a large vessel or bowl with hot water, dip your pallet knife or bench scraper into the water then pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel and gently smooth out the frosting. 
4. Pop in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to chill the cake before pouring the warm chocolate glaze over it.
5. Set your cake rack over a rimmed baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Start from the centre towards the edges, and pour the warm chocolate glaze over your chilled cake letting it run over the sides. Pour the glaze more on the edge. Slightly tap on the wire rack or you can slightly tilt the wire rack to allow the glaze to run all over the sides.
6. Melt some dark chocolate in the microwave and fill the piping bag. Snip the tip away and Immediately after pouring the glaze, make any pattern of your choice with this melted dark chocolate on the top of the cake. But it’s optional.