Chocolate Cake

perfect for Valentine's Day

I made this chocolate cake for my friend’s birthday but this cake also works perfectly for Valentine’s Day! If you’re searching for a cake that’s all about chocolate, this is it. It’s sweet, decadent, and delicious! And it’s also quite easy to make. You should definitely try it out! :D

I filled the cake with whipped chocolate ganache and covered it with a chocolate buttercream. I made some chocolate covered strawberries to add on top for decoration.

I referenced these recipes for this cake:
Whipped ganache.
Chocolate buttercream.

Ingredients
2 9” Cake Pans

Chocolate Cake
2 cups (~265 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (~65 grams) cocoa powder
1.5 cups (~300 grams) granulated sugar
1 cup (~236 milliliters) canola oil
1 cup (~236 milliliters) coffee
1 cup (~250 milliliters) milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray, for coating pans

Whipped Ganache
5 ounces semisweet chocolate
5 ounces heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Chocolate Buttercream
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
3.5 cups (420 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (41 grams) cocoa powder
3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Chocolate Covered Strawberries, optional, for decoration

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Directions
I used two 9-inch cake pans

1. Chocolate Cake
   -Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
   -Sift 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, and 1.5 cups sugar.
   -Then add 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup coffee, and 1 cup milk to the dry ingredients. Mix until not white streaks remain.
   -Crack in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until everything is fully incorporated.
   -Prep your 9-inch cake pans by spraying them with cooking spray and lining them with parchment paper.
   -Evenly divide your batter between the two cake pans. Then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
   -Set aside on a rack to cool.

2. Whipped Ganache 1
   -Heat 5 ounces heavy cream over medium heat until it starts to steam and simmer. Remove from heat and then add it to 5 ounces semisweet chocolate so that the chocolate is completely covered by the cream. Set aside for 5 minutes.
   -After 5 minutes, mix the chocolate and cream together to form the ganache. Transfer to a larger bowl and allow to cool completely. This will take around 1-2 hours. Do not place it in the refrigerator.

3. Chocolate Buttercream
   -Sift 3.5 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
   -Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter on medium until creamy.
   -Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat everything together started at low and then increasing to high for 1-1.5 minutes.

4. Whipped Ganache 2
   -Once the ganache is fully cooled and a liquid peanut butter consistency, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the ganache. Then use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the ganache on high until it is light and fluffy.

5. Assembly
   -Use a serrated knife to trim the domed tops off of the cakes.
   -Place one cake on top of a cake board, using some of the whipped ganache to stick it to the board. Then place the rest of the whipped ganache on top and spread it out evenly. Cover with the second cake and use the chocolate buttercream to completely cover the cake.
   -Decorate the top as you like. I chose to top the cake with chocolate covered strawberries.

6. Enjoy!

Are you planning on making anything for your Valentine?