Triple chocolate cake with chocolate ganache is a chocolate lovers dream
Triple chocolate cake was my favorite chocolate cake for a long time. I loved the little chunks of chocolate in each bite. I used to pair it with easy buttercream and it really reminded me of a Ding Dong cupcake from my childhood. Over the years I have begun pairing it with either chocolate ganache or chocolate buttercream. Maybe it's old age but I just want MORE chocolate in my triple chocolate cake. I mean... the more chocolate the better right?
What makes this triple chocolate cake so good?
Triple chocolate cake isn't for the faint of heart! I wasn't about to skimp on any part of this delicious, decadent cake! I carefully tested this recipe so that each ingredient in the cake added to the overall moisture and tenderness of the cake.
- The reverse creaming method - gives this cake a super fine and decadent crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Dutched cocoa powder - this cocoa powder has a stronger chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
- Mayonnaise - gives the chocolate cake an added boost of moisture!
How to make triple chocolate cake
This triple chocolate cake recipe is adapted from my favorite chocolate cake recipe. This cake recipe uses the reverse creaming method
- Bring your water to a boil and pour over your cocoa powder. Whisk it until it's smooth. Add in your mayonnaise (straight from the fridge) so it cools the chocolate mixture a bit.
- Then add in your vanilla and eggs and whisk to break up the eggs. Set aside to cool.
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt) in the bowl of your stand mixer
- Attach the paddle attachment and blend on low. Slowly add in your softened chunks of butter and mix until it resembles coarse sand.
- Add about â…“ of the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and let mix on setting 4 on your Kitchenaid for two full minutes. Trust me, let it mix the full two minutes or your cake will collapse.
- Scrape the bowl and then add in the rest of your liquids and let mix for another 30 seconds or so until there aren't any streaks.
- Pour the batter into two 8" round cake pans prepared with cake goop or pan spray.
- Bake the triple chocolate cake for 30 minutes at 35oºF or until a toothpick comes out from the center with a few gooey crumbs still attached. Don't over bake!
- Let your cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan then turn them out onto a cooling rack. I wrap mine in plastic wrap and leave them at room temp to frost the next day because the cake is firm enough but you can also freeze them to seal in moisture.
Need more information on how to make your first cake? Check out my tutorial on how to trim your cakes, frost, fill them and decorate them. All the basics for the ultimate beginner!
What frosting goes best with triple chocolate cake?
Since this is my daughter's favorite cake, I made her favorite which is chocolate ganache. She LOVES dark chocolate but her friends prefer milk. I made a compromise and went with semi-sweet chocolate chips for the ganache.
This ganache is a 2:1 recipe so it's a lot smoother and creamier than the traditional ganache I make for sculpted cakes or wedding cakes.
After I make my ganache I let it cool at room temperature with plastic wrap over the surface. Yes you can leave ganache on the countertop and the cream will not spoil. Food science!
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Cups of Batter Needed
8 cups
Cups of Frosting Needed
5 cups
Note: measurements are estimated based off the vanilla cake recipe using standard US cake pans and sizes. Measurements used are for 2" tall cake pans only. Your results may vary. Do not overfill cake pans above manufacturer's recommended guidelines.
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Food Scale
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 3 oz Dutch cocoa powder
- 8 oz water
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 oz Mayonaise
- 14 oz Unbleached cake flour
- 15 oz granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 oz mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 8 oz heavy whipping cream Heat to a simmer, do not boil
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 335ºF. Prepare two 8" cake pans with cake goop or other pan release. I prefer to make my chocolate ganache the day before I need it so to give it time to cool down.
- Bring the water to a boil and pour over the cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth then add in cold mayonnaise, vanilla and eggs. Whisk to break up the eggs.Â
- Weigh out all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt) and place into a stand mixer bowl and attach the paddle attachment.
- Turn mixer on low (setting 1 on Kitchen Aid mixers). Add in your room temperature butter in small chunks. Combine on low until you achieve a sandy mixture.
- Add â…“ of your liquid ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix on medium for 2 minutes. If you do not do this step, your cake could collapse.
- Turn your mixer back down to low and add in the rest of your liquids slowly. Stop once or twice to scrape the bowl as needed.
Once they are all combined, turn back up to medium for another 30 seconds. - Fold in your chocolate chips or chocolate
- Bake for 35 minutes at 335ºF depending on how big your pans are. The bigger the pan, the longer it will take for them to bake. When a toothpick comes out of the center with a few sticky crumbs on it, the cake is done.
- After the cakes have cooled for about 10 minutes, or the pans have cooled to the point they can be touched, flip the cakes over and remove from the pans onto a cooling rack to cool completely. I cover mine in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out why they cool.
- Once the cakes are completely cool you can trim them and frost them.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- Heat your heavy whipping cream until it's just starting to simmer, do not boil.
- Pour your hot cream over your chocolate chips, making sure they are fully submerged.
- Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then add in your vanilla and salt
- Whisk until smooth. If you have any un-melted pieces of chocolate, heat the mixture for 30 seconds in the microwave and whisk again. Do not over-heat or you can break your ganache.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature for 24 hours before using.
Notes
Nutrition
Stacy c says
Hi Liz, would you recommend this recipe for your spiderman bust cake, and how many batches would I need for a full sheet? Thank you!
Jacqui says
Regarding the buttercream. Are you supposed to add the cocoa to the melted butter and then add to the whipped mixture?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Im not sure where you're seeing melted butter. The cocoa powder goes right into the buttercream.
karen says
Hi Liz where do you put the melted butter? mix it with the cocoa powder? above in your instructions you say:
"Reserve 8 oz of your butter and melt in microwave until JUST melted, don't over heat.
Once the meringue is light, white, and shiny, add in your butter in chunks. Add in vanilla and salt and whip on high until light.
Add in chocolate mixture and continue whipping until mixture is combined. Scrape bowl if needed. "
PLEASE clarify! thank you!!!
The Sugar Geek Show says
So sorry, I have updated the instructions. The melted butter is combined with the cocoa powder to help it incorporate into the buttercream better 🙂
Karen says
Hi Liz ! I tried this cake recipe and it was DELISH!!!!!!!! I do have a question ! I would love to make cupcakes out of it ... will the same exact recipe work ? If not can you please let me know how it will work for cupcakes ? Thank you !
Jennifer P says
Making this as we speak batter is in the pans but I just realized that I used bleach cake flour, instead of unbleaches DOH! . Is this going to affect the recipe ? Thanks for any help !!
The Sugar Geek Show says
It will be ok 🙂
Jennifer says
WOW! this was the best tasting chocolate cake that I have ever made! Thank you Liz you are the best. I was able to make a dozen cupcakes, one 8 inch cake round and one 6 inch cake round (freezing for later). Thank you for this great recipe !
kristi says
can you use natural cocoa powder or does it have to be dutch processed?
The Sugar Geek Show says
For this recipe, it's dutched
Christina says
How much icing does this recipe make? It seems like a lot with 36oz of butter (9 sticks?) Can you cut the recipe in half and still have enough icing to cover the standard 8 inch cake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can cut the recipe in half 🙂
Christina says
I made this cake this weekend and the icing is amazing!!!! My cake on the other hand came out very dry and crumbly. Any thoughts as to why? I don’t think they were over baked. I pulled them right around the 30 minute mark when the tooth pick was clean.
Ana Horan says
How do you thicken the icing? Add more powdered sugar?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can
Colleen Jennifer Du Plooy says
Hi sugargeek
How much WATER is used to pour over the cocoa powder... in this recipe Please?
Regards
COLLEEN DU PLOOY
The Sugar Geek Show says
The water that is listed in the recipe, it says to bring it to a boil and then pour it over the cocoa powder.
Shannon says
Hi Liz! What type of cocoa powder do you use?
Thank you!
Zach says
What brand of cocoa powder do you use?
Keshia says
Hi! Do you use a specific type of cocoa powder? Should it be sweetened or unsweetened?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I use unsweetened dutched cocoa powder
Soraya H says
Hi Liz, can I triple this recipe? Thank you!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sure can!
Smita says
OMG!! This recipe is amazing!!!... I'm actually nibbling on a slice while I type this coz I can't seem to stop... ? it's so rich,moist and chocolatey!!! Even better than the oil based one ... Who knew mayonnaise would do such wonders on a sweet dish!!! ? I've always been nervous to try the reverse creaming method but I'm sooo thrilled to see fantastic results after following every single step especially the crucial 2 min mixing one... thank you Liz!!! ? I couldn't be happier with any other butter chocolate cake recipe... quick question, being butter based, do we have to use sugar syrup to moisten the layers? Or its best to avoid doing so for butter cakes? Thanks again!!! ??
The Sugar Geek Show says
I dont use simple syrup for any of my cakes but I just don't like the extra steps. You definitely can if you want
Smita says
Hi Liz... Is it ok to use cake flour substitute with corn flour and AP flour for this recipe? I tried it with this chocolate cake and the texture seemed perfect... Was going to try your vanilla recipe but it specifically said no.substitutes for cake flour... We don't get cake flour here so I was wondering if it would work ok if I tried the substitution? Coz the chocolate cake was amazing...
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you use that substitute then it will be more of a cornbread texture
Hanako Narushima says
Hello Liz 🙂 Can I use a sheet pan for this recipe? I have 9 x 13 pan by the way 🙂
The Sugar Geek Show says
You sure can, one batch will be perfect
Dara says
Hi Liz, can I make this gluten free by using bobs 1:1 gluten free flour? Also can I make the actual cake dairy free?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you sure can and you can use almond milk instead of regular milk, earth balance butter instead of regular butter
Sally Fraise says
The ganache lists two quantities for vanilla, which one do you prefer?
Elizabeth Marek says
Oops! I'll fix that. It doesn't really matter but I use more vanilla haha
Sarah Gaetano says
I really loved this recipe thanks a bunch! My only problem was that the choc chips stick to my cake pan (even after using cake goop) and meant that one of my cakes broke in half. Do you have any suggestions for how avoid this in future?
Elizabeth Marek says
Place some parchment paper at the bottom of your cake pan or flip the cakes out of the pan a little sooner so they are not completely cooling.
Jodi says
I use this recipe all the time Liz, I use it with AP flour and it's still super soft but definitely a little more dense than with cake flour (It's hard to get hold of in the UK). My question to you though is roughly how long will this cake keep in the fridge covered in ganache and not cut?
My daughter wants to make it (with my help) for her teacher as a leaving gift but the only time we have to bake/decorate is a week before it'd be needed xx
Elizabeth Marek says
You can frost the whole cake, freeze it then wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer. When you're ready to use it, it needs to be defrosted in the fridge (unwrapped) for 24 hours so it does not condensate. Then you can take it out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature until serving so it's soft and ready to eat.
Jodi says
Ah great! I wasn't sure how well this cake would freeze! Thank you <3
Sarai Morales says
Perfect recipe! I just want to know if I can use coffee instead of water. I really love coffee in my chocolate cakes 🙂
Thanks!
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you sure can
Holly Bordon says
Hi, I've tried this recipe a couple of times now, it's so delicious!
The only thing is that my 'liquid' ingredients aren't that liquid, it's fairly thick so when adding your third to the mixer, it's more like a paste. is this normal? I always end up having to add more of it or even a bit of water (but i suspect this might be why it take ages to cook).
Also, mine always dome up really high and this creates so much wastage when torting for a fondant covered cake.
I'm not sure if it's a difference in ingredients or my method (although i've made your vanilla cake with the same method and that comes out fine).
Do you have any advice for me?
Elizabeth Marek says
Are you using a scale? I'm not sure why they wouldn't be liquid.
Dimz says
How can I use cocoa powder unsweetened instead of Dutch?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can but I would increase the baking soda and reduce the baking powder by the same amount, maybe 1 tsp to account for the acidity in the regular cocoa powder.