This deep dark chocolate cake is filled with creamy chocolate gananche and then frosted with another layer of ganache to complete your total blackout experience. Chocolate Blackout Cake will have you in complete chocolate ecstasy!
My nephew celebrated his 14th birthday a couple weeks ago and this cake was his request. Very good choice in my opinion!
This chocolate cake recipe is by far the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! I have been making it for many years and it is the one everyone always requests me to make for every special occasion. I may switch things up a bit now and then with different frostings or fillings. Like my Chocolate Covered Strawberry {Cake} that I shared a few months ago.
My nephew’s request was quite clear though… Chocolate and lots of it! Chocolate cake, chocolate in the middle and chocolate on the outside. He wanted a total Chocolate Blackout Cake experience! He clearly inherited his tastes buds from his father! Good taste runs in the family! Enjoy!
Chocolate Blackout Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 3/4 Cup All-purpose flour
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Unsweetened cocoa
- 1 Tablespoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1 Cup Strong brewed coffee
- 1/2 Cup Canola oil
- 3 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 Large Eggs
For the Ganache
- 2 ,12 ounce bags Semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 Cups Heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake
- Prepare two 8 inch round cake pans. (Spray bottom of pan with oil, line with wax paper cut to size of cake bottom, spray top of wax paper and sides of pan with more oil. Dust pan with flour)
- Preheat oven to 325 Degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients.
- Using a whisk mix until all dry ingredients are well combined.
- Create a gully in the center of dry ingredients and add remaining ingredients except eggs. Whisk together. Add eggs and whisk by hand for 2-3 minutes. Once incorporated mix for another 3 minutes with electric hand mixer on high speed periodically scraping sides of bowl.
- Pour batter evenly between both pans.
- Bake on center rack of oven for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- I always start at 25 minutes and add on from there as needed so I don't over bake.
- Remove and let cool for about 30 minutes in pan. Loosen the edges with a small off set spatula or butter knife, flip pan up side down onto cooling rack to remove cake and let cool completely.
For the Ganache
- Heat heavy cream in a medium sauce pan on medium low heat. Once cream is warm.. just before it begins to boil, remove from heat and place chocolate chips into the cream. Let sit for 1-2 minutes and then stir with a whisk until they meld together and become smooth and creamy. Stir in vanilla.
Put the cake together
- Place one of your cake layers on cake board or serving dish. Using an off set spatula carve out a circle from the center of your cake about a 1/2 inch from the cakes edge. You want to cut out a slight gully in the center of the cake to hold the ganache.
- Pour ganache into the carved out center of your cake and place the other 8 inch cake on top. Set aside.
- At this point you want to place remaining ganache into the fridge to thicken it to a spreadable consistency.
- Check it every 15 minutes or so and stir it. If it becomes too thick you can always leave it out at room temperature to soften it. Once it's the correct consistency frost your cake with the first coating. ( This is called your crumb coating) Place cake in fridge to harden for 15-30 minutes. Remove cake from fridge and spread another layer of ganache on it.
- If you have any extra ganache you can place it in a piping bag to decorate the top of your cake.
- I also embellished the bottom of the cake with mini chocolate chips. These can be pressed on to the ganache immediately after the second layer is added. The chocolate chips will stick better when the ganache is still soft. Serve cake or store in the fridge over night. Make sure you let the cake sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving for best taste.
Nutrition
Here are a few pictures from another cake I made that shows the process I go through to make a gully in the center of the cake for filling.
This Chocolate Blackout Cake is perfect for any occasion and you will surely make a lasting impression on whomever you make it for!
Here are some other tasty combinations that use the same delicious chocolate cake recipe. Just click on the picture for the recipe.
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I will be sharing this recipe at the following link parties:
This is one AMAZING cake !!!
Looks so rich and delicious – pleaseeeeeeeee save me on huge slice 🙂
Thanks Winnie!
I’m sure I would have to arm wrestle someone for the last piece, this is a beauty!
Thanks Sandra!
That is a gorgeous cake, Nicole!
Thanks Gaye!!
Oh my, this looks amazing! Chocolatey goodness. Great photo, too. I’m a new food blogger and found you on a link party. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Can’t wait to read more of your blog. Becky
Thanks Becky! Welcome to the world of blogging! Can’t wait to check out your site! Thanks for following me.
Any ideas on what I could do to replace the coffee?
Hi Michelle, You can use hot water but may lose a little flavor.
Hi, Nicole.:) THANK YOU for sharing your recipe. I just tried it right now exactly to a T & LOVE it already! Omg! Best chocolate cake ever! And I haven’t even frosted them yet; just tasted the cake.???? It’s Hubby approve.;) I used to be a boxed cake kinda gal, but not anymore.:) I was wondering if I can sub real butter or applesauce instead of canola oil? Thank you again, so much for sharing your recipe.????
Hi Joanna, So glad to hear you’ve become a homemade cake convert! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this cake over the years and every time I hear the same thing…”Best cake I’ve ever had!” I did substitute butter once and it really didn’t make any noticeable difference in the flavor so you can certainly substitute it. I’ve never tried applesauce in this one but I do have a recipe for Double Chocolate Banana Cake on the blog that is dairy free and uses applesauce in place of oil or butter. It’s super moist and delicious. You could certainly try the applesauce in this one as well if you want to try to health it up a bit!
Hi there! I noticed there’s a white filling in between the last two layers of cake. What kind of filling did you use for that?
Hi Amy, Yes, I shared that picture per request from someone asking about my technique for filling the cake. That cake was actually a different cake that I made with a butter cream frosting. The Chocolate Blackout cake just has the ganache as a filling though. Good eye! 😉
how many servings please? can i sub almond flour for the wheat flour for the gluten issue of guest?
Hi Daisy, An 8 inch cake serves about 15 people. I’m really not sure how this recipe would fair substituting the flour for almond flour. I have never tried it. I do have a flourless chocolate cake recipe if you would like to try that recipe. Not quite the same look but you could make two and add the ganache between them and then coat with ganache. Let me know how you make out if you do try to make it with almond flour. Thanks. Happy baking!
Nicole,
This is the most delicious cake I have ever made!
I only changed two things…I just used plain milk and not buttermilk and instead of round pans, I made it in a 9×13 inch glass dish and covered with the ganache. I started checking it at 30 minutes but it took 45 minutes . It was loved by adults and children alike!
This cake is so heavy and rich you don’t have to cut the pieces too big so it goes a long way.
I now know what the word decadent really means.
Love your blog Nicole.
I so glad it was a big hit and success! Thank you for adding the alterations you made and how they turned out! Making it as a sheet cake is a great way to simplify the recipe and still enjoy the deliciousness!