Description
Matilda’s Chocolate Cake is a rich, moist, and indulgent dessert perfect for chocolate lovers. This classic chocolate layer cake combines a tender crumb with deep cocoa flavor and a luscious chocolate ganache frosting made with heavy cream, semi-sweet chocolate, and butter. It’s ideal for celebrations or anytime you crave a decadent homemade treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
For the Ganache Frosting:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Ensure these ingredients are well combined for an even crumb.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
- Incorporate Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until the batter is smooth and consistent without any lumps.
- Add Boiling Water: Carefully stir in the boiling water into the batter. The batter will be thin, but this step is essential to activate the cocoa and produce a moist cake.
- Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cakes: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Ganache Frosting: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to simmer, but do not boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Stir in the unsalted butter until fully incorporated.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of ganache over the top. Place the second layer on top and coat the entire cake with the ganache, smoothing it out with a spatula for a beautiful finish.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to set the ganache. Bring to room temperature before serving to enjoy the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Make sure eggs are at room temperature to help with batter consistency.
- Sifting dry ingredients helps avoid lumps, leading to a lighter cake.
- Boiling water must be mixed in carefully to avoid cooking the eggs or curdling the batter.
- The ganache sets firm after chilling; if too hard, leave cake at room temperature before serving.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a more intense chocolate flavor, use high-quality cocoa powder and chocolate.
