This recipe for Triple Layer Chocolate Ganache Cake is so heavenly you will want to make it for any occasion.
This three-layer, super moist cake is filled with ganache frosting and topped with a luscious chocolate ganache drizzle.
This decadent cake will wow your guests as it comes to the table. It’s a stunning cake that will fast become your failsafe option for any event.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using heavy or whipping cream, you have made this a recipe that can be made with easy-to-find ingredients.
- Using semisweet or dark chocolate chips keeps this a simple pantry-friendly recipe.
- Adding a pinch of salt keeps this chocolatey frosting from being too sweet.
- Whipping the Ganache frosting makes it light, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe.
- Using coffee enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Using a combination of butter and oil adds both flavor and moisture to the cake.
What is a chocolate ganache? Chocolate Ganache is an easy and versatile dish made from chocolate and cream that can be used as a dessert topping, glaze, filling, or even served on its own. See my post on How To Make Chocolate Ganache for an easy guide.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting is the perfect topping for your favorite cake or cupcakes! Once you see how simple something this decadent can be (using only THREE ingredients), this will be your go-to frosting!
I’ve used ganache to make my Dark Chocolate Tarts, to top my Devil’s Food Cake, as a base for my Easy Chocolate Dessert, and so much more!
Which Chocolate Is Best
I recommend Dark Chocolate that’s around 54.5% Cacao as it tastes great without being too sweet and also melts easily. If the chocolate you plan to use has no percentage listed on the package, I recommend waiting until you can get some that do to avoid any problems.
You can get the chocolate I use on Amazon by clicking here. (As an Amazon Associate, a small commission is made from qualifying purchases).
That said, you can use semi-sweet, bitter-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate chips too to make the filling. Just keep in mind that milk chocolate will make a much sweeter filling.
How to Make Triple-Layer Chocolate Ganache Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients
- Add the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Divide into three cake pans
- Bake until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely.
- Fill the layers with frosting, decorate, and serve.
Step To Step Instructions
Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, melted butter, oil, and vanilla.
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. A good rule of thumb is 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice (this also works well with half and half or skim milk)
For this recipe: 1 and a half cups of milk + 1 and a half tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice.
Beat until smooth.
Divide batter evenly in the three pans (this takes about 3 cups of batter for each pan).
How To Tell If A Cake Is Done
- One way to check if a cake is done baking is to insert a cake tester or skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- If you don’t have a cake tester or skewer, gently press the cake with your finger. If it springs back, the cake is done. It needs a few more minutes if it leaves an indent in the cake.
Bake and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Prepare the chocolate ganache frosting.
Spread the frosting over the cooled layers.
Top with the top layer, and decorate with dripping ganache and chocolate chips.
Serve and enjoy!
Erren’s Top Tips
- Be sure to use the right pan – Many baking mishaps can be traced to the wrong-sized pan. So before starting, be sure you have the right pans for the job.
- Grease your pan with shortening instead of butter. Unlike butter, shortening does not contain water which can cause a cake to stick.
- To help a cake rise be sure to use all room-temperature ingredients.
- Use good quality chocolate that is no less than 54% Cacao to avoid problems with the ganache setting.
- For piping the frosting, I recommend doubling the recipe, as piping uses more frosting.
- Boiling can cause a skin to form on the cream, so I recommend not boiling it. Heating until just before boiling point will do.
- Make the ganache before baking, and bake your cake to be ready for use while it cools.
- If your ganache gets too hard in the fridge, just leave it at room temperature until soft enough to whip.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder the darker the cocoa powder, the richer the chocolate flavor.
More Frosting Options
FAQs
Use recipes that call for oil instead of butter to moisten the cake. Moisture is also added with buttermilk and eggs.
Canola oil is best as it has no taste and won’t affect the recipe’s flavor.
Yes, olive oil can be used instead of any oil a cake recipe calls for.
Yes, it freezes very well. I recommend freezing the cake without frosting.
Store covered at room temperature for up to three days.
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Let’s Make Triple Layer Chocolate Ganache Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 1½ cups hot coffee
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the ganache frosting:
- 1½ cups whipping cream double cream or heavy cream
- 12 oz dark chocolate
- pinch of kosher salt
For the ganache topping:
- 3 oz dark chocolate
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream double cream or heavy cream
- chocolate chips for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease three 8-inch cake pans.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, melted butter, oil, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Divide batter evenly in the three pans (this takes about 3 cups of batter for each pan).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes in a 350-degree oven until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool on cooling racks for 15 minutes and then turn the cakes out onto the racks and allow to cool completely.
For the ganache frosting:
- Heat the cream until hot (not boiling)
- Pour the cream into the chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the salt and whisk until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool and thicken. It will fully cool within 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerating will expedite things, but the frosting may not set evenly. Stir it a few times as it sets in the refrigerator so it remains even and smooth. Once cooled, whip it until it thickens to the desired consistency.
For the ganache topping:
- Place the chopped chocolate into a medium-sized, heatproof bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it just begins to simmer and then pour it over the chopped chocolate.
- Let it sit a minute and then gently stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has fully melted and the ganache is smooth.Then cover and set aside until it is set enough to drizzle over the cake, but isn’t too runny.
To Assemble:
- Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate. Top with about a cup of ganache, spreading it evenly over the cake layer using an offset spatula. Top with second cake layer, and frost with another cup of ganache. Top with the final cake layer.
- Place the cake in the fridge to chill thoroughly for at least 1 hour.
- Once the cake has chilled cover with ganache drizzle.
- Top with chocolate chips
Tips + Notes
- Use good quality chocolate I suggest using chocolate that is no more than 60% Cocoa solids as higher percentages chocolates are much harder to melt and can cause your ganache to break or cease.
- For piping the frosting, I recommend doubling the recipe as piping uses more frosting.
- Boiling can cause the skin to form on cream so I recommend not boiling. Heating until just before boiling point will do.
- Make the ganache before baking and while it cools, bake your cake so the ganache will be ready to use when needed.
- If your ganache gets too hard in the fridge, just leave it at room temperature until soft enough to whip.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder the darker the cocoa powder the richer the chocolate flavor.
Bianka Meyer says
I don’t have a very big oven. It takes max 2 cake pans. Can I leave the 3rd cake/batter outside until the first 2 cakes are done, then bake the last one, or will it affect the baking and rising if it is not baked immediately?
Erren Hart says
Hi Bianka, While it’s best to bake all cake layers simultaneously for consistent results, you can leave the third cake batter outside the oven while the first two cakes bake. Just make sure to cover the bowl of batter to prevent it from drying out. When it’s time to bake the third layer, give the batter a quick stir before pouring it into the prepared pan. Keep in mind that the additional time the batter sits may slightly affect the rise and texture of the final layer, but it should still turn out delicious. Happy baking!
ellen s says
will this cake have a coffee taste using coffee?
Erren Hart says
Hi Ellen, no the coffee just enhances the chocolate flavor.
BN says
Hi. The cake looks really good! Unfortunately, I only have two 8″ cake pans. Can I use same recipe quantity but make it a double layer chocolate ganache cake?
The individual cakes in your beautiful photos (as a triple) are quite short, maybe 1″ tall? If baked as a double layer cake, how tall do you think each cake will likely be? Since the pans are not springform, will it be easy to unmold the cake? (I usually bake with springform pans).
I should probably halve the ganache recipe for a double layer cake since I’ll be frosting once. Appreciate your advice. Thanks.
Erren Hart says
Hi, You can use two 8″ cake pans. The cake will just be two thicker layers, but not overly thick. You Don’t need a springform pan – just a well-greased cake pan is fine. As far as the ganch goes, yes halving the recipe should do fine.
Diane says
Question: can I make the ganache the night before and refrigerate? Thabks:)
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Diane, you certainly can, just take it out of the fridge and let it get to room temperature before you use it (you may have to heat it slightly to get it back to the desired consistency). I hope this helps 🙂
Nicole Crooley says
Delicious and rich! Worth all the work for sure!
Erren Hart says
That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
June T says
Cake was excellent. It was moist and chocolatey! Best chocolate cake recipe I have made!
Erren Hart says
That’s great to hear!! Glad the recipe was enjoyed so much! 🥰
Denise says
Wow. Just wow! This cake is outrageous!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Tabitha says
Very good chocolatey, moist and light cake. Everyone loved it!
Erren Hart says
Wonderful to hear, Tabitha!
Erin says
I made this recipe for my son’s birthday. Everyone raved about it! Thank you so much!
Erren Hart says
Yay, Erin! So wonderful to hear! thanks for letting me know!
Tori says
I made this for my dad’s birthday. It was just amazing! Thanks, Erren!
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad to hear it, Tori!