This Chocolate Ganache Cake is one layer of soft chocolate cake drenched in dark chocolate ganache! The cake mixes up easily (no mixer required!), and the ganache takes about five minutes. So easy and delicious!
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8" cake pan and set aside.
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour hot coffee (see note) over the top and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate chocolate mixture for 10 minutes (so the mixture doesn't cook your eggs).
While the chocolate mixture is chilling, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
After chilling (mixture will still be warm, but not hot), remove chocolate mixture from the refrigerator. Add oil, eggs, vinegar (see note), vanilla extract, and chocolate extract (see note), whisking until smooth.
Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake 34-36 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached. I turn the pan around in the oven halfway through baking to help ensure an even bake.
Cool cake 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For Ganache
Combine chocolate and cream in a medium heatproof bowl. Microwave on 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until ganache is smooth. Let cool slightly to let the ganache thicken a bit.
While still warm and pourable, pour over the top of the cake, spreading the ganache with an offset spatula and allowing the ganache to drip down the sides, if desired.
After ganache has set, top with garnishes (berries, chocolate candies, mint, etc.), if desired.Enjoy!
Notes
Note on chocolate: I used dark (60% cacao) chocolate in both the cake and the ganache. You can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer, but I highly recommend a dark chocolate, as it is rich and decadent without being too sweet!Note on dark (dutch process) cocoa: *Not* the same as natural cocoa powder, dark (or dutch process) powder is darker and smoother.Note on coffee: The cake won't taste like coffee, I swear! The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, and I highly recommend it! If you would prefer not to use coffee, you can use hot water instead.Note on vinegar: This may seem like a strange ingredient in a cake, but SCIENCE! The vinegar reacts with the baking soda (think second grade volcano science project), which gives your cake a lighter, fluffier texture. You won't taste the vinegar. That said, if you don't have white vinegar, consider taste in what you substitute. Apple cider vinegar would be a good fit, but your aged balsamic would lend a strange flavor.Note on chocolate extract: I highly recommend this (sometimes overlooked) extract! It lends an amazing depth of flavor to chocolate baked goods! You can even make yourself some Homemade Chocolate Extract for next time!