This chocolate ganache cake has tender chocolate cake layers, is filled with chocolate ganache, and is topped with a chocolate ganache drip.

This cake is rich in chocolate flavor and is perfect for chocolate lovers. The frosting and filling of this cake, including the drip, is made with only two ingredients: dark chocolate and heavy cream!
This cake is the ultimate chocolate cake since it's full of chocolate flavor from the Dutch cocoa powder in the cake, and plenty of chocolate ganache that is used as filling, and frosting.
You can decorate it for any occasion like with fresh berries on top, sprinkles, or colored whipped cream. This cake is perfect for any occasion from parties, to holidays, to birthdays.
For more chocolate cakes, check out my best chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting, chocolate sour cream pound cake, small chocolate cake, dark chocolate sheet cake, Ferrero rocher cake.
Why this recipe works
- Texture- this cake has a moist and tender texture that goes perfectly with the creamy chocolate ganache that melts in your mouth.
- Rich chocolate flavor- this cake has all chocolate flavor! From the cake itself which uses dutch cocoa powder, to the frosting, filling, and chocolate drip that is made with plenty of dark chocolate.
- Chocolate ganache filling- it is filled with chocolate ganache filling that is fudgy and truly decadent and is made with only 2 ingredients!
- Perfect for any occasion-Â this chocolate cake is perfect for birthdays, parties, holidays, events, or any other occasion!
- Chocolate ganache frosting- the whipped chocolate ganache frosting is extremely easy to make and has a luxurious and decadent flavor and texture.
How to make perfect even cake layers
My biggest tip for making even cake layers is to use a scale and cake strips. Weigh the chocolate cake batter and divide it evenly between two pans.
Then, use cake strips to ensure your cake layers bake evenly and don't develop a dome on top. Cake strips help you achieve an evenly baked cake with a flat top.

Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe; self-rising flour and cake flour will work great as well.
Dutch cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for my chocolate cake because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Baking powder and baking soda – to allow the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired.
Granulated sugar– I like to use granulated sugar, which is also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vegetable oil – I used vegetable oil for this recipe. Canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Sour cream- I used sour cream for this cake to make it extra moist and tender. You can also use full-fat Greek yogurt.
Eggs- to give the cake a good structure. Make sure you’re using room-temperature eggs.
Buttermilk- gives the cake extra moisture. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have one on hand. Simply mix a cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Hot coffee- make a strong hot coffee, you can use espresso or instant coffee, both will work.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake.
Salt- I used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cake a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
For the chocolate ganache
Heavy cream-Â use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This can't be substituted.
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. Using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this recipe.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk.

Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and eggs, and mix until almost combined.

Add the hot coffee and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible. The batter should be pretty runny and smooth.

Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (Weigh the batter for better results.) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9-inch cake pan.)
Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.

Make the chocolate ganache
Start making the chocolate ganache by chopping the dark chocolate and placing it into a large bowl.
Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until it reaches room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming.
Divide the ganache into two separate bowls and use an electric hand mixer to whip one-half of the chocolate ganache until it's lighter in color and resembles the texture of frosting.
Assembly
Fill a piping bag with the whipped chocolate ganache. Create a border around the edges of the first cake layer.

Then fill the middle with the other half of the chocolate ganache and smooth it out with a spoon or a spatula. Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with the rest of the whipped ganache.


Meanwhile, store the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate ganache for the drip.
For the chocolate drip, follow the same instructions for making the ganache, but with a smaller amount of ingredients. Let the ganache cool for about 15 minutes or until it's not too hot.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake and use a spatula to carefully push the ganache around the edges of the cake until a drip design forms.

Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake, you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the frosting is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.

Faq's
A chocolate ganache cake is made with rich chocolate layer cakes is filled with a two-ingredient chocolate ganache, and is frosted with whipped chocolate ganache.
Finally, it is topped with chocolate ganache to create a beautiful drip.
Chocolate ganache cake be made thicker by letting it set in the fridge. It can also get harder if you add more chocolate. It will naturally harden as it chills.
Yes. You can use 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Take into consideration that the cake layers will be thinner and you will need to bake it for less time.
The basic rule for ganache is a simple ratio: equal parts chocolate and cream for a pourable glaze, more chocolate for a thicker frosting, and more cream for a softer, silkier texture.

Storing
This cake will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
You can freeze the cake either whole or in slices:
Whole cake- Chill the cake in the fridge for 1 hour to set the ganache, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Store in a cake box or an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Slices- Freeze individual slices on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
To thaw- Place in the fridge overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Make it ahead of time
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap each cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to frost and assemble the cake, make the frosting, and assemble the cake as written in the instructions!

Substitutions
Dairy-free- to make this cake dairy-free, replace the buttermilk with almond milk. Also, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream.
Egg-free- to make this cake egg-free, replace the eggs with â…” cup of applesauce.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Zest- If you’re a fan of the classic orange and chocolate combo, try adding 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the batter. It adds a bright, zesty twist that pairs beautifully with the rich chocolate flavor.
Raspberry layer- Add a layer of raspberry jam or fresh raspberries between the cake layers for a fruity contrast.
Espresso infused- Mix a teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the cake batter or ganache to deepen the chocolate flavor.
Nutty crunch- Fold chopped hazelnuts, almonds, or pecans into the batter for added texture and a nutty bite.
Salted caramel layer- Spread a thin layer of salted caramel between the cake layers before adding the ganache.
Berry- Top the finished cake with fresh raspberries, strawberries, or cherries for a burst of color and fruity contrast.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 8-inch cake pans.
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry bag
- Cake strips
- Electric hand mixer
- Kitchen scale
More chocolate recipes
Banana Brownies- These fudgy banana brownies are made with ripe bananas, come together in one bowl, and are gooey in the middle, and have a crackly top.
Chocolate Tiramisu- This incredibly creamy chocolate tiramisu is made with layers of coffee-dipped ladyfingers and creamy chocolate mascarpone cream.
Dubai Strawberry Cups- These Dubai strawberry cups are made with fresh strawberries, creamy pistachio mixed with crispy kataifi, and chocolate.
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe

The BEST Chocolate Ganache Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- â…” cup Cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- ½ cup Sour cream
- â…” cup Vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3 Eggs
- ¾ cup Coffee hot
For the chocolate ganache
- 500 g Dark chocolate
- 500 g Heavy cream
For the chocolate drip
- 90 g Dark chocolate
- 90 g Heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk.
- Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, sour cream, and eggs, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the hot coffee and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible. The batter should be pretty runny and smooth.
- Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (weight the batter for better results) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9-inch cake pan)
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting so the frosting won't melt off the cake.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Start making the chocolate ganache by chopping dark chocolate and placing it into a large bowl.
- Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until it reaches room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming.
- Divide the ganache into two separate bowls and use an electric hand mixer to whip one-half of the chocolate ganache until it's lighter in color and resembles the texture of frosting.
- Use the whipped chocolate ganache to create a border around the edges of the first cake layer.
- Then fill the middle with the other half of the chocolate ganache and smooth it out with a spoon or a spatula. Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with the rest of the whipped ganache.
- Meanwhile, store the cake in the fridge while you make the chocolate ganache for the drip.
- For the chocolate drip, follow the same instructions for making the ganache but with a smaller amount of ingredients. Let the ganache cool for about 15 minutes or until it's not too hot.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake and use a spatula to carefully push the ganache around the edges of the cake until a drip design forms.
Notes
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake, you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers. Click here for the Amazon link.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Alexa
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream for the cake
RichandDelish
Hi! Yes, the results will be the same 🙂
Bajan Baker
I would like to try making this cake but my child seems to have a problem with sour cream and buttermilk. Can I substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt? I see in the substitution section I can substitute the buttermilk for almond milk so I'll try that
RichandDelish
Yes. Let me know how it turned out!
Gianna
This was awesome! I made this cake today for my family for Grandma's 92nd birthday! I didn't expect it to be gone in less than 20 minutes! I will say I had some issues getting the ganache to thicken up but I just used extra chocolate and it turned out good!
Megan
my ganache didn’t want to whip into frosting like texture. Any ideas why?
RichandDelish
Hi Megan, it was probably not cold enough. The ganache needs to cool in the fridge to whip well.
Shenanigans
Fabulous!
Angela S.
The cake is amazing! I have been looking for one similar to one my Grandmother use to make and this is very close! The drip coat didn't work turn out as I had hoped but I think I needed to warm it up a bit to get it to "run" a bit more. It still turned out very good though and I will most definitely be using the cake as my new standard chocolate cake recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Fatima
Pela terceira vez que faço para aniversario e volta novamente a ser um sucesso. É realmente o melhor bolo de chocolate que encontrei. Obrigada.
Abby
Not sure why there was sour cream in the recipe if we never had to use it?? Otherwise good recipe that was easy to follow
Maureen
The sour cream was added in the 3rd step. Might not have been there when you made it and they corrected it, but , it is there now.
Surayya
I absolutely love this cake, i made it, made a square cake though but the taste was Devine. Mine didnt look as pretty as yours but my family loved it. Thank you.