This chocolate ganache cake recipe is irresistible to chocolate lovers because it’s loaded with layers upon layers of chocolate flavor.
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Chocolate cake recipe from a box
This chocolate ganache cake starts from boxed cake mix, but don’t let that fool you. It is insanely irresistible because of the chocolate ganache coating covered with chocolate truffle icing and chocolate chips.
It’s the mother load of chocolate.
And the base of the cake uses my legendary cake recipe that includes adding a box of pudding to the mix. This makes for a super moist chocolate cake.
Chocolate Ganache Cake with Truffle Icing
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- 1 sm box chocolate instant pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Ganache
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Truffle Icing
- 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 12 oz chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
Decoration
- 12 oz mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350F degrees.
Cake
- Mix: In a large bowl, mix together all of the cake ingredients except for chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pan: Spray two 8 inch cake pans with cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is firm and springy. Place on foil lined rack and let cool.
- Make Ganache: Place 12 ounces of chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in a medium size pot. Melt over low heat. Mix until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
- Cover: With a chopstick, poke holes in the cooled cakes. Ladle ganache over each cake layer, smoothing the top and sides for complete coverage.
- Chill: Sprinkle the bottom layer with about 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. Place in refrigerator and chill. (Can be done overnight.) Save the excess ganache for later.
Truffle Icing
- Melt Chocolate: Place whipping cream and corn syrup in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Do not boil. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla and let sit for two minutes. Whisk mixture until smooth and glossy.
- Chill: Pour into a deep bowl and place in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until mixture reaches spreading consistency. Stir occasionally.
- Beat: Once the icing reaches spreading consistency, remove it from the fridge and beat until fluffy. Place some icing in a piping bag with a star tip.
Assembly
- Stack: Place top layer of cake over chocolate chip layer. Pipe icing around center to seal seam.
- Ice: Using an offset spatula, spread the icing over the sides and top of the cake.
- Add Chips: Press mini chocolate chips against the side of the cake all the way around.
- Drizzle: Reheat the saved ganache over low heat on the stove or in short intervals in the microwave. Drizzle thin streams across the top of the cake.
- Finish: Pipe a top and bottom border around the edges of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients for chocolate ganache cake
- Chocolate Cake Mix: I usually buy Duncan Hines, but any brand is fine.
- Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix: I prefer sugar free instant pudding.
- Large Eggs
- Oil: I generally use canola oil, but you can use whatever oil you prefer for baking.
- Water
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You’ll need regular size chocolate chips for the cake, ganache, and icing and mini chocolate chips for the decoration.
- Whipping Cream: This is used in both the ganache and truffle icing.
- Corn Syrup: This helps thin out the icing.
- Vanilla Extract
See the full recipe card for servings and a full list of ingredients.
How to make chocolate cake
- Mix Cake: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil and water.
- Add Chips: Once smooth, add in the chocolate chips.
- Pan: Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Divide the chocolate cake batter evenly into each pan.
✔️ PRO TIP
If you’re worried about the cake sticking to the pan, you can line the bottom with parchment paper. Use a pencil to trace the shape of the pan onto the paper, and then cut it with scissors or a knife.
- Bake: Place the pans in a preheated 350F degree oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is firm and springy. Cool completely.
- Poke Holes: After the cakes have cooled, invert them onto a wire rack resting over a foil-lined pan. Use a chopstick to poke holes in the cooled cakes.
- Make Ganache: Place 12 ounces of chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream in a medium pot. Melt over low heat. Mix until smooth and glossy and remove from the heat.
- Coat: Ladle the ganache over both cakes. Spread the tops and sides with an offset spatula. Save the excess ganache for later.
- Top: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on the bottom layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Then, stack the layers.
- Make Icing: Heat the cream and corn syrup in a medium pot over medium low heat. Do not boil. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Add Chocolate: Stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla. Let sit for two minutes. Then whisk until smooth and glossy. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Whip: Once the icing reaches spreading consistency, remove it from the fridge and beat until fluffy with an electric mixer. Place the icing in a piping bag with a large star tip.
- Ice: Pipe icing around the center to seal the seam. Then, use an offset spatula to spread icing over the sides and top.
- Add Chips: Press mini chocolate chips against the side of the cake all the way around.
- Drizzle: Reheat the saved ganache over low heat on the stove or in short intervals in the microwave. Drizzle thin streams across the top of the cake.
- Decorate: Pipe a top and bottom border of truffle icing around the edges of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to serve chocolate ganache cake
It’s important to keep this cake refrigerated because it’s packed with so much chocolate. If you leave it at room temperature, it will start to soften.
When ready to serve, use a large knife to cut the cake into slices.
It’s very rich, so start with smaller slices. People can always go back for seconds. This cake is great with a tall glass of milk, a cup of hot coffee or a glass of robust red wine.
Storage
Store leftover cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. To freeze, cut into slices and then wrap each slice in two layers of plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to six months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ganache is a smooth chocolate sauce made with chocolate and heavy cream. You can use semi sweet chocolate, dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
Because there is no granulated sugar in this ganache recipe, I don’t recommend using bittersweet chocolate.
Chocolate truffles are made following the same technique as ganache, but the mixture is chilled and rolled into balls.
Truffle icing is chilled ganache that is whipped, so it’s fluffy and spreadable.
Ganache will harden slightly when it’s chilled, but it is still pliable. It doesn’t get rock hard like a chocolate candy bar.
More chocolate recipes
- Chocolate Zucchini Bread Recipe
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Vanilla Clouds
- Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Fudge Brownies
