The Everyday Chocolate Cake

I love chocolate cake. I wanted to create a go-to chocolate cake recipe that is delicious and easy to put together. I wanted this to be a cake that you can make even if there is no special occasion. So this is my everyday chocolate cake.

This is the type of cake that you could eat everyday. It’s made up of 3 chocolatey components that perfectly balances each other. The cake is rich, dense, and super moist. The cream is thick and luxurious. The ganache is sweet and super chocolatey. I love this cake because it does not use any buttercream and it is not too sweet – it is your everyday kinda girl. Nothing fancy but she will never be boring. 

CHOCOLATE SPONGE-

• 340g Plain Flour
• 1tsp Baking Soda
• 2tsp Baking Powder
• 2tsp Salt
• 200ml Milk, lukewarm
• 1/2 Lemon
• 200ml Hot Water
• 4tsp Instant Coffee
• 100g Cocoa Powder
• 400g Caster Sugar
• 80ml Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Egg, room temp
• 2tsp Vanilla Extract

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE FILLING-

• 1 Gelatin Sheet (1g)
• 250ml Double/Heavy Whipping Cream
• 2tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 3tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• 100g Dark Chocolate
• Pinch of Salt
• 150g Mascarpone Cheese
• 3-6tbsp Powdered Sugar (sweetened to taste)

CHOCOLATE GANACHE DRIP –

**Use a 1:1 ratio

• 100g Double/Heavy Whipping Cream
• 100g Dark Chocolate

STEPS Day 1:

CHLOE’S ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE SPONGE-

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C
2. You can use either two 7″ cake tins or three 6″ cake tins. You can make this recipe in either spring form cake tins or normal solid cake tins. For spring form tins, line it with parchment paper. If you have a solid cake tin you can use a light even layer of butter and dust it with cocoa powder to form a non-stick layer
3. In a bowl, whisk together plain flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside
4. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon to the milk and let it curdle
5. In a large bowl, add hot water and 2tsp instant coffee. Let that dissolve then sift in cocoa powder. Whisk aggressively to remove any clumps
6. Then add the curdled milk mixture, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined
7. Add the dry ingredients (made in step 2) into the wet and whisk until just combined
8. Divide the batter evenly between the tins. Divide the batter in half for two 7″ tins or into thirds between three 6″ tins.
9. Tap the cake tin against the counter to remove large air bubbles then give it a spin to allow the batter to spread along the sides of the tin
10. Pop them into the oven at 170°C and bake for 25-45min. The time depends on the size of your cake tin and the amount of batter. If you have a 6″ tin, bake between 25-35min. If you have a 7″ tin, bake between 35-45min. Always check the tallest part of the sponge with a skewer. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, keep baking it until the skewer comes out clean.
11. Let it cool for 15min then transfer the sponge out of the tin and onto a wire rack to cool
12. Let it cool completely, then level the cakes if needed and using a serrated knife slice the layers in half so you have thinner cake layers.
13. Wrap it in some clingfilm and let it sit in the fridge overnight (the chocolate flavor will develop overnight and the texture will become so much better)

CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE CREAM FILLING-

1. Fill a small container with cold water and ice cubes. Submerge the gelatin sheet into the cold water and set it aside
2. In a saucepan, add double cream, sift in cocoa powder, and add the vanilla bean paste. Whisk to combine as best as you can. Transfer it onto a stove and heat gently
3. Add the chocolate and pinch of salt then stir with a spatula until all of the chocolate dissolves
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Pick up the gelatin sheet and shake off as much of the water as possible, then add it to the hot cream. Stir until fully dissolved
5. In a bowl, add mascarpone cheese, then pour the warm cream over the mascarpone. Gently mix until everything is smooth (if the residual heat is not enough, you can pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to help melt everything together)
6. Add powdered sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Whisk and taste as you go so it reaches your desired sweetness
7. Cover the mixture with clingfilm. Be sure to press the clingfilm onto the surface of the cream. Then pop it into the fridge overnight

STEPS Day 2:

1. Using an electronic mixer, beat the chocolate mascarpone cream until it reaches medium peaks.
2. Assemble the cake by starting with a layer of cake on the bottom. Add a generous blob of the whipped chocolate mascarpone cream. Spread it evenly then repeat and stack until the whole cake is assembled
3. Using the remainder of the chocolate mascarpone cream, cover the entire exterior of the cake. This will act as a crumb coat
4. Place the cake into the fridge to set

CHOCOLATE GANACHE DRIP-

1. Make the chocolate ganache drip by adding both chocolate and the double cream into a bowl. Microwave in 30sec intervals and gently melt the chocolate into the cream. Stir until all the chocolate is dissolved and combined
2. Grab the cake and pour all of the ganache onto the top of the cake
3. Using an off-set spatula, slowly spread the ganache so it gently drips down the sides of the cake. Once you are happy with the look place it back into the fridge to set
4. Bring the cake to room temp 1hr before cutting into it! Enjoy!