Ganache-Filled Devil's Food Cake
Submitted by cookiesgal
Ganache-filled devil’s food cake: a deeply moist, dark chocolate layer cake with a silky chocolate ganache filling and rich cocoa buttercream. A triple-chocolate showstopper for serious chocolate lovers.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsFor serious chocolate lovers, this is the one: a devil’s food layer cake that hits chocolate from three directions, a dark, moist crumb, a silky ganache filling, and a rich cocoa buttercream over it all.
The cake’s depth comes from melting chopped chocolate in boiling water and blending in cocoa, which blooms the chocolate flavor and keeps the crumb intensely moist. Dark brown sugar adds a faint molasses note and even more tenderness.
The ganache filling is just cream, butter, and chocolate, chilled until spreadable, so it sets into a fudgy, truffle-like layer between the cakes rather than oozing out.
The buttercream is classic: softened butter beaten with powdered sugar and cocoa, loosened with a little milk, until it is silky and pipeable.
Assembly is straightforward but worth doing with care, ganache between the layers, buttercream over the top and sides, and a decorative pipe of frosting around the edges to finish it like a bakery cake.
Chef Tips
- Pour boiling water over the chopped chocolate and add cocoa for the deepest flavor; let it cool fully before mixing into the batter.
- Chill the ganache until it is firm enough to spread but not hard; too warm and it runs, too cold and it tears the cake.
- Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before filling and frosting, or everything slides.
- Beat the buttercream until light and silky, adding a splash more milk if it is stiff.
Variations
- Add a layer of raspberry jam alongside the ganache for a fruity contrast.
- Flavor the ganache with espresso, orange, or a splash of liqueur.
- Finish with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or fresh berries.
Ingredients
Directions
MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Butter two 9-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with circles of wax paper, then butter and flour the paper.
In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped chocolate.
Set aside for 5 minutes.
Add the cocoa and stir until the mixture is smooth.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and each addition.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and half the chocolate mixture.
Beat on low speed to combine, and then on high for 1½ minutes.
Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low speed to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 clean.
Set the cake pans on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
Then invert the cakes onto the racks to cool completely.
TO MAKE THE GANACHE:
In a small saucepan, bring the cream and the butter to a simmer.
Add the chocolate, cover for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
Refrigerate the ganache until firm enough to spread.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa.
Beat one-third of the sugar-cocoa mixture into the butter.
Mix in the vanilla.
Add the rest of the sugar-cocoa mixture alternately with the milk and beat until the frosting is smooth.
TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Top one layer with the ganache.
Add the second layer of cake and frost the sides, and then the top.
Decoratively pipe frosting around the base and top edges of the cake.
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