Hot Chocolate Cake
What if you could capture the cozy feeling of sipping hot cocoa by the fire and turn it into a sliceable dessert? This Hot Chocolate Cake does exactly that. It is a rich, ultra-moist chocolate cake topped with a silky frosting and a glossy ganache that mimics the look of melted marshmallows and chocolate.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup chocolate powder ½ cup 32% cocoa + ½ cup 100% cocoa
- 1 cup hot milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the pan
- Margarine for greasing
- Chocolate powder for dusting
For the chocolate frosting
- 400 ml whole milk
- ½ cup chocolate powder
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon margarine
For the ganache topping
- 200 g semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1 can heavy cream
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a baking dish with margarine and dust it lightly with chocolate powder. This prevents sticking and adds extra chocolate flavor.
- Add the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until the mixture is well combined and slightly foamy, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable oil and chocolate powder. Mix thoroughly until no dry cocoa remains.
- Add the hot milk and vinegar. Stir until the batter darkens and becomes smooth. The heat from the milk will help the cocoa dissolve completely.
- Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold gently or mix on low speed just until you have a smooth, uniform batter. Avoid overmixing, which can make the cake tough.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and spread it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Every oven differs, so start checking at 28 minutes.
Prepare the Chocolate Frosting
- Add the whole milk, chocolate powder, sugar, and margarine to a saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and whisk continuously. At first the mixture may look thin and lumpy, but keep whisking.
- Continue heating until the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture becomes smooth and slightly thickened. This usually takes 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously.
- Remove from heat. The frosting will thicken more as it cools, but you want it pourable and warm when you pour it over the cake.
Prepare the Ganache
- Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. This usually takes 60 to 90 seconds total.
- Stir until you have a glossy chocolate ganache. If the chocolate is not fully melted, microwave for another 15 seconds and stir again.
- Let the ganache cool for 2 to 3 minutes so it thickens slightly but stays pourable.
Assemble the Cake
- Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. It should still be warm, not piping hot, for best frosting absorption.
- Pour the warm chocolate frosting over the cake, spreading it evenly to the edges. Some frosting may soak into the top, which adds moisture.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top and smooth it across the surface. The two layers create a stunning chocolate finish.
- Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles, if desired.
- Allow the cake to rest for about 15 minutes, then slice and serve. The result is a wonderfully moist, rich chocolate cake with a smooth chocolate topping.
Notes
Use a standard 240 ml measuring cup for dry ingredients and a 200 ml cup for liquids if you have both. If not, a standard US cup works fine. Ingredient tips: The mix of 32% and 100% cocoa chocolate powder gives balanced bitterness and sweetness. If you only have regular unsweetened cocoa, use ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons. Hot milk helps the cocoa bloom. Vinegar reacts with baking soda for extra lift. You can substitute butter for margarine, and semi-sweet chocolate chips for the chopped chocolate in ganache.