Meet this ultimate chocolate cake, a moist and rich 4 layer cake, filled and frosted with whipped chocolate ganache, and finished with smooth and silky milk chocolate glaze. It's decadent, rich and fudgy! Oh, and did I mention it is incredibly moist and delicious? One bite and you fall head over heels in love with this cake! This moist cake, which has an intensely chocolatey flavour, together with the whipped chocolate ganache and milk chocolate glaze, forms a deadly combo, that tastes incredibly GOOD!

WHY YOU’ll LOVE THIS CAKE?

1. It's a super easy recipe! No electric mixer is required. It's a foolproof, tried and tested recipe. The cake always turns out amazing even if you are making it for the first time. 
2. The cake is super moist and has the perfect! The crumbs are very soft and moist. The crumbs are not dry cake because milk and sour cream were used in this recipe. Milk and Sour cream add moisture and fat to the cake, so your cake turns out really moist, soft and rich every single time.‍
3. Best for every occasion! This cake will always be a crowd-pleaser and perfect for every occasion!

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Let’s break down this cake into four steps

• Step 1: Whipped Chocolate ganache
• Step 2: Chocolate cake
• Step 3: Milk Chocolate glaze
• Step 4: Assembling the cake

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED!

Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and their exact quantities.

FOR WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Chocolate ganache is a mixture of chocolate and heavy cream but if you want to make it extra rich and silky then add a few more simple ingredients like a small amount of milk chocolate along with dark chocolate and butter 

• Dark + milk chocolate: Always use good quality chocolate. Here I used both dark (54%) + milk chocolate. The secret to the creamy and silky chocolate ganache is to add a little milk chocolate to your dark chocolate.
• Double cream/Heavy whipping Cream: Always use double cream or heavy whipping cream to make a rich and silky chocolate ganache. Cream with at least 35% fat content gives a better consistency to the chocolate ganache.
• Unsalted butter: softened to room temperature. It’s optional. But it will add creaminess to your ganache.

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FOR CHOCOLATE CAKE

• Plain flour/All-purpose flour: Make sure to measure it correctly. The best way to measure all-purpose flour is by using a digital scale. If you don’t have it, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
• Vegetable Oil: I used Sunflower oil but you can substitute it with any neutral oil. The oil keeps this cake soft and moist even if you keep it in the fridge.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Both are used to rise the cake.
• Whole Milk (Full fat): It gives a creamy texture to the cake and also adds flavour.
• Eggs: should be at room temperature.
• Salt: It balances the sweetness and enhances the flavours.
• Caster sugar: I used caster sugar.  
• Cocoa powder: Always use good quality cocoa powder, it makes the difference. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder. It gives a deep and rich chocolate flavour.
• Coffee: Totally optional but adds a rich and deep flavour to the chocolate as makes the cake intensely chocolatey.
• Hot water: Hot water reacts with cocoa powder and brings out the chocolate cocoa flavour. It enhances the chocolatey flavour so you can enjoy a more intense flavour of chocolate.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream adds moisture, fat and acidity to this cake. If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can use whole greek yoghurt instead.

FOR MILK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

This chocolate glaze is made without gelatine but still has a silky and smooth texture.

• Milk chocolate: To cut down the bitterness of dark chocolate. I used milk chocolate glaze. Always use good quality chocolate.
• Double cream/Heavy whipping Cream: Always use double cream or heavy whipping cream to make a rich and silky chocolate glaze. Cream with at least 35% fat content gives a better consistency to it.
• Honey: Honey helps to reduce the crystallisation of sugar in chocolate and makes your chocolate glaze smooth and shiny.
• Golden Syrup: It also helps to reduce the crystallisation of sugar in chocolate and makes chocolate glaze smooth and shiny. You can substitute it with light corn syrup.

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EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

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

LET’S MAKE IT STEP BY STEP!

Start by making ganache first because it needs time to cool before whisking.

STEP 1: WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• It is ready to use in the layering and frosting of the cake.

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STEP 2: 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.

• 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.
• 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.
• Bake in the preheated fan oven at 155C/311F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
• 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.
• Wrap the cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, let the cake cool completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

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STEP 3: MILK CHOCOLATE GLAZE

You can make it in the same way as mentioned in step 1 on a double boiler or you can make the chocolate glaze in the microwave. 

• 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. 
• Let it cool slightly before pouring over the chilled frosted cake.

STEP 4: ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

• 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.
• 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.
• 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. 
• Pop in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours to chill the cake before pouring the warm chocolate glaze over it.
• 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.
•  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.

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PRO TIPS FOR THE PERFECT CAKE

• Measure your flour correctly to get the best results. The best way to measure the flour is by using a digital scale but if you don’t have one, spoon and level your flour carefully. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
• Always use room temperature ingredients (like milk, sour cream and eggs) to keep an even consistency of the batter.
• The secret to a creamy and silky chocolate ganache is to add a little milk chocolate to your dark chocolate.
• Don’t let even a drop of water into the bowl of ganache, otherwise, you will end up with a gritty chocolate ganache. Always use good quality chocolate, cheap chocolate results in a grainy ganache. Use a glass or a ceramic or a metal bowl to make the ganache. Don’t use a plastic bowl, or you'll end up with a grainy ganache. Use a rubber spatula or spoon for stirring and mixing. Don’t use a whisk, it can change the texture of your chocolate ganache.
• The cake should be chilled before pouring the chocolate glaze

FAQ

CAN I MAKE A CHOCOLATE CAKE AHEAD?

Yes, you can make the cakes a day or two ahead of assembly. After baking, let them cool at room temperature then tightly cover them separately in plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge. It’s better to make a day or two ahead of serving because it is easy to assemble the cake when it is cold.

CAN I USE CHOCOLATE CHIPS TO MAKE GANACHE?

Don’t use chocolate chips. It’s better to use chocolate bars as they will melt smoothly and there will be fewer chances of splitting or seizing up.

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CAN I MAKE WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE IN ADVANCE AND HOW TO STORE IT?

Yes, you can make it ahead. Follow the instructions as shown in step1. Once it is done, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. You can store it in the fridge for up to 5-6 days or overnight at room temperature. The ganache will harden a bit in the fridge so before use, if it becomes hard, take 1 tbsp of it, microwave it for a few seconds and mix again in the remaining ganache. Rewhip it a bit to get fluffy and silky consistency. You can freeze chocolate ganache for up to 2 months. Whenever needed, thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Whip it again until it becomes fluffy and smooth.

HOW TO SERVE THE CAKE?

This cake is best served at room temperature. But for a special serving, you can microwave a slice for a few seconds to get an incredible melt-in-mouth effect.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CAKE?

You can store it at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5-6 days. To Freeze, first, wrap it in plastic wrap then place it in an airtight container or freezer-safe ziplock bag. You can freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.

I hope that you'll try this recipe and you'll love them as much as my family and I do! If you make this recipe then be sure to tag @kaotickrunch on Instagram. We'd love to see your creations!

Happy baking and eating! 😊