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Chocolate Cake — AI-generated food illustration

Chocolate Cake

A moist cocoa layer cake finished with chocolate ganache. Hot water blooms the cocoa and makes a pourable batter that bakes into a tender crumb.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting / soaking / chilling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: International
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 200 g plain flour
  • 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 250 g caster sugar
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 180 ml milk
  • 100 ml neutral oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 180 ml hot water
Ganache
  • 200 g dark chocolate chopped
  • 200 ml whipping cream

Method
 

  1. Prepare
    Heat oven to 175°C conventional. Grease and line two 20 cm round cake tins.
  2. Mix dry
    Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir in sugar.
  3. Make batter
    Whisk eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Mix into dry ingredients, then carefully stir in hot water. Batter will be thin.
  4. Bake
    Divide between tins and bake 30–35 minutes until a skewer has a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Cool 10 minutes in tins, then on racks until completely cool.
  5. Make ganache
    Heat cream until steaming, pour over chocolate and stand 2 minutes. Stir smooth. Cool until spreadable.
  6. Assemble
    Spread some ganache between layers and cover top and sides. Allow to set before slicing.

Notes

Use unsweetened cocoa, not drinking chocolate. Because the frosting contains cream, refrigerate the finished cake and use within 3–4 days; bring a slice toward room temperature before serving.