Description
A rich chocolate cake decorated with a simple spiderweb pattern.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot water or coffee
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for ganache)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
- Carefully stir in the hot water or coffee until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the ganache: Heat the heavy cream until it just simmers. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly until it is thick enough to spread but still pourable.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of ganache on top. Place the second layer on top.
- Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake, spreading it to cover the surface.
- To make the web: Place a small amount of white frosting or melted white chocolate in a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe concentric circles onto the chocolate ganache surface.
- Use a toothpick or skewer to drag lines from the center of the cake outward to the edge, creating the web pattern.
- Allow the ganache to set before slicing.
Notes
- Using hot coffee instead of hot water deepens the chocolate flavor.
- If you do not have buttermilk, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- For a firmer web, let the chocolate ganache set for about 15 minutes before piping the white lines.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 45
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 60
Keywords: chocolate cake, spiderweb cake, dark chocolate, layer cake, holiday dessert, Halloween cake