Description
Ina Garten’s chocolate cake delivers rich, intense chocolate flavor with remarkable depth. Silky ganache, perfectly moist layers, and a delectable chocolate experience invite passionate bakers and dessert enthusiasts to savor each indulgent bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
Frosting Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 350°F (175°C) and preparing two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and parchment paper linings.
- Combine all dry ingredients thoroughly in a spacious mixing bowl, ensuring even distribution of flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate container, blend wet ingredients excluding coffee, whisking eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla until smooth and homogeneous.
- Gradually incorporate wet ingredients into dry mixture, stirring gently to prevent overmixing and maintaining a light texture.
- Pour hot coffee into the batter, stirring until completely integrated and no dry flour pockets remain, creating an ultra-thin, silky consistency.
- Evenly distribute batter between prepared cake pans, ensuring balanced volume for uniform baking.
- Bake for 35 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick inserted centrally emerges clean without raw batter residue.
- Allow cakes to cool partially within pans, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling, which can be done a day in advance if refrigerated.
- Melt chocolate using double boiler or microwave technique, stirring until achieving glossy, smooth texture.
- Cream room temperature butter in stand mixer until light and fluffy, gradually adding powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Gently fold sour cream into slightly cooled melted chocolate, creating a harmonious blend of temperatures and textures.
- Incorporate chocolate-sour cream mixture into butter base, mixing on low speed until achieving a consistent, velvety frosting.
- If frosting appears too soft, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to enhance stability, then stir before applying to completely cooled cake layers.
Notes
- Prepare cake pans with butter and parchment paper to ensure easy cake removal and prevent sticking.
- Use hot coffee to enhance chocolate flavor and create an incredibly moist, rich cake texture.
- Expect an unusually thin batter, which is completely normal and will result in a wonderfully tender crumb.
- Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and ensure a smooth, professional finish.
- Bring butter and sour cream to room temperature for smoother, more easily blended frosting.
- Refrigerate frosting briefly if it seems too soft, helping it reach the perfect spreading consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 621 kcal
- Sugar: 62 g
- Sodium: 330 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 68 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg