Description
Ina Garten’s Chocolate Fudge Cake is a rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey dessert topped with a smooth and luscious chocolate ganache. Perfect for celebrations or whenever you’re craving an indulgent treat, this easy-to-make cake combines classic chocolate flavors with a decadent finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
For the Ganache:
- 8 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper to ensure the cakes don’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract thoroughly until smooth.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently to combine. Then add the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth and evenly blended; the hot coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Ganache: Heat the heavy cream until it just begins to simmer (do not boil). Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes to soften. Add the butter and vanilla extract, then stir continuously until the ganache is smooth and glossy.
- Assemble and Frost the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of ganache on top. Add the second cake layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining ganache, smoothing it with a spatula for a flawless finish.
- Serve: Let the ganache set slightly at room temperature before slicing. Serve and enjoy this rich, decadent chocolate fudge cake.
Notes
- Use freshly brewed hot coffee for best chocolate depth; decaf works fine too.
- Make sure cakes are completely cool before frosting to ensure ganache sets perfectly.
- For a glossy finish, stir the ganache gently until perfectly smooth.
- This cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Bring refrigerated cake to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.