Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Cream

Introduction

You bake two 9-inch chocolate cake layers from a very thin batter made with boiling water, which gives you a soft crumb instead of a heavy one. The dark chocolate cream sets into a chilled fudge layer, then loosens again when you warm each slice for about 20 seconds, so this works well as a make-ahead dessert.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups (470 ml) white sugar
• 1 ¾ cup (415 ml) flour
• 1 ¾ cups (415 ml) baking cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon (7 ml) baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoon (7 ml) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (5ml)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup (235 ml) milk
• ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla powder (use half this amount if you prefer less rich vanilla flavor)
• 1 cup (235 ml) boiling water

Frosting

• ⅛ cup (30 ml) cocoa
• 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate
• ⅛ cup (30 ml) boiling water
• 1/16 cup (15 ml) powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup (156 ml) whipping cream

Instructions

Cake

1. Mix the dry ingredients well in a large bowl. For better texture, sift the dry ingredients together with a sieve or sifter.
2. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla, and vegetable oil, and mix well. Add the water, and mix it until it has a lot of little bubbles. This batter will be very thin.
3. Pour into two greased 9-inch round baking pans.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes (about 20 minutes for a convection oven), or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remember not to over-bake the cake, as it may become really dry and lose all its moisture.
5. Cool the cakes completely, then unmold them.

Frosting

1. Melt the chocolate by placing it in a double boiler.
2. Mix the sugar and cocoa together in a small bowl, then mix in the water.
3. Stir the sugar/cocoa/water mix into the melted chocolate.
4. Quickly stir in the cream and mix until it has a smooth consistency.
5. Immediately 'frost' the cake with this, making sure that there is quite a bit between the two layers of cake. The cake will need to be refrigerated to harden the fudge, so don't worry about its relatively liquid nature.
6. Refrigerate cake.
7. Serve warm after refrigeration. To serve, slice a piece and microwave it for about 20 seconds. The fudge will melt and soak into the cake. Serve with ice cream if you so desire.

Variations

• Replace the 1 cup (235 ml) boiling water in the cake with hot coffee. It deepens the chocolate flavor without changing the texture.
• Replace the 7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate with semisweet chocolate. The frosting turns sweeter and sets a little softer.
• Replace the 1 cup (235 ml) milk with buttermilk. You get a slightly tangier cake and a finer, more tender crumb.
• Bake the batter in a 9×13-inch pan instead of two 9-inch rounds. You get a single-layer cake that is easier to transport and slice, with less frosting concentrated in the center.
• Use unsweetened plant milk for the milk and full-fat coconut cream for the whipping cream. The cake stays moist, and the frosting gains a light coconut note while staying dairy-free.

Tips for Success

• Sift the dry ingredients if possible; the large amount of cocoa can leave clumps if you skip it.
• After adding the boiling water, mix until the batter looks evenly thin and full of small bubbles, as described in the recipe.
• Grease both 9-inch pans thoroughly so the cooled layers release cleanly when you unmold them.
• Start checking the cakes at 30 minutes; pull them when a tester comes out clean and the center springs back lightly.
• Cool the cakes completely before frosting, and spread the frosting as soon as the cream is stirred in so it does not thicken in the bowl.

Storage and Reheating

Store the cake in a covered cake carrier or airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices wrapped tightly and placed in an airtight freezer container for up to 2 months.

Reheat chilled slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds so the fudge softens and soaks into the cake. Thaw frozen slices overnight in the fridge before reheating; warming individual slices works better than reheating the whole cake.

FAQ

Why is the batter so thin?

The boiling water makes it much looser than a typical cake batter. That is expected and helps give the finished cake a moist, soft texture.

Do you need to refrigerate the cake before serving?

Yes. The frosting is intentionally loose when warm and needs time in the fridge to set into a fudge layer.

Can you make this a day ahead?

Yes. The cake is actually easier to frost, chill, and slice if you make it ahead, then warm each slice just before serving.

Can you make it dairy-free?

You can use an unsweetened plant milk in the cake and full-fat coconut cream in the frosting. The texture stays close, but the frosting may set a little softer and taste slightly of coconut.