This Small Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache is the cutest freakin’ cake I’ve ever seen. It’s also the best chocolate cake you’ll come across.
Why is Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache the book-inspired recipe for Meredith, Alone?
Main character Meredith in Meredith, Alone spends a lot of time in her apartment, and a lot of time baking.
Sometimes she shares her baked goods, sometimes she doesn’t. Victoria Sponge seems to be a favorite of hers, but I’ve already posted one of those on the blog.
So, I decided to make a Chocolate Cake since it plays an important role in the novel. “Chocolate Cake” is a code word in Meredith Alone between Meredith and her sister for emergencies.
It’s a “small” chocolate cake because Meredith is usually sharing her baked goods with just a few trusted and loved people.
Why I love this Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache
There are three reasons I love this Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache:
The cake itself.
This is my favorite chocolate cake recipe ever. It’s thick and fudgy and decadent and moist.
I’m not a huge chocolate fan. But once or twice a year, I get a craving for chocolate cake. THIS Chocolate cake. The minute my fork sinks into the soft, fluffy cake layers, I get super excited for bite after bite.
The whipped chocolate ganache frosting.
Chocolate ganache is a pretty common cake frosting in my house. It tastes and looks so decadent, but it’s really simple to make. The two main ingredients are chocolate and hot cream.
Like, that’s it. My recipe below has a few more ingredients, but you don’t really need them to have a delish ganache.
This is the first time I’ve whipped chocolate ganache into a light, fluffy, cloud-like frosting. I may never have “regular” ganache again.
Whipped ganache is good. Like, toe-curling-experience good.
I love how deeply chocolatey it is, and the bit of salt mixed with the semisweet chocolate chips and the naturally sweet heavy cream is **chefs kiss**.
Plus, the silkiness of the frosting pairs so well with the rich cake layers.
The small size of this cake (6 inch layer cake).
You might not be able to tell from these photos, but this cake is small. I took my favorite chocolate cake recipe and adjusted it to make a 6-inch two-layer cake.
AND IT’S ADORABLE.
It’s the perfect size to share with one or two people you love. Like, really love. Because once you taste how delicious it is, you’re not gonna wanna be free n’ easy with your slices.
However, if you’re having a really, really bad week? Horde this cake in your fridge and chip off a block at a time until your worries are gone and your pants no longer fit.
Frosting tips for Whipped Chocolate Ganache
I may have frosted this cake while it was still a teeny bit warm. That’s why the frosting looks a little runny in these photos.
Ganache firms up well in the fridge, but it warms and melts easily — basically because it’s just made of chocolate and cream. My cake layers were slipping and sliding as I sliced into this bad boy. #noregrets
But, you’re not going to have that problem. Because you’re going to wait the proper amount of time for everything to cool before you frost your cake. So you’ll have a thick, rich layer of that whipped ganache between the layers.
Just so you know, though… If you’re like me and you can’t wait any longer to eat chocolate cake? Everything tasted divine, melty frosting and all.
What do you serve with Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache?
I love serving myself a huge hunk o’ chocolate cake alongside a tall, frosty glass of whole milk. If you’re looking for a second sweet treat, the cake would taste great with an Iced Caramel Macchiato or an Iced Dirty Chai Latte.
This Small Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache is a perfect dessert for a small dinner party or holiday gathering. Serve it after enjoying a meal of Raspberry Thyme Chicken with Mushroom Risotto, or Baked Sea Scallops with Spinach Lemon Basmati Rice. Or, give yourself a mid-afternoon sugar rush after a tasty lunch of Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches or Quick Chickpea Curry.
Small Chocolate Cake with Whipped Ganache
Ingredients
6 INCH CHOCOLATE CAKE INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE INGREDIENTS
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, heated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Whisk together the boiling water and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Set aside and let cool completely.
- Spray two 6-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the cream and ½ tsp salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until boiling.
- Pour chocolate chips into a medium bowl.
- Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate chips. Use a spoon or spatula to ensure all chips are completely covered by the cream, then let mixture sit undisturbed for one minute.
- Use a rubber spatula to slowly stir the cream and chocolate chips together into a smooth, shiny ganache. This will take a few minutes.
- Once smooth, stir in the ½ tsp vanilla extract.
- Cover ganache with plastic wrap and place bowl in the fridge until mixture is thick and has cooled, about an hour.
CHOCOLATE CAKE BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Use a hand mixer to cream together the ½ cup butter and the granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, until all ingredients are combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, flour, and salt until combined.
- Alternate beating the flour mixture and the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until you have a smooth chocolate cake batter.
- Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake cake layers at 350F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
- Remove cake layers from oven and place pans on cooling rack. Let cake cool in tins for 15 minutes, then run a dull knife around the edges of the pan to release the cake from the sides.
- Turn out the layers onto the cooling racks and let cool completely before frosting.
WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE – FROSTING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, pour the cooled ganache into a large bowl. Whip the ganache on medium speed. Keep whipping the ganache until it’s light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Frost completely cool cake as desired with whipped chocolate ganache.
Chocolate chips, brilliant. I’ve always hacked at a huge chocolate bar for ganache. Nor had I added salt. Must try this pronto! Merci!
I’ve done both methods, and the chocolate chip method is WAY easier. You have to stir the mixture a little extra to get a really smooth ganache — but, if you’re whipping the ganache, it doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth to start with! And, that little hit of salt takes it to another level of yum. 🙂 Enjoy!