Description
A visually striking chocolate cake with a deep cocoa flavor and a glossy chocolate ganache glaze, decorated to look like a black cat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment liners.
- Cream softened butter and sugar until fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
- Divide batter equally between pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Heat heavy cream until simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Stack cooled cake layers with a thin layer of ganache in between.
- Pour the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake to create a smooth finish.
- Allow ganache to set for 30 minutes before decorating with eyes, nose, and whiskers.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American