Triple Chocolate Layer Cake with Mirror-Glossy Ganache

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dark, ultra-moist oil-and-buttermilk chocolate cake bloomed with hot coffee, filled and frosted with silky chocolate buttercream, then finished with a pourable ganache that sets to a mirror shine. Inspired by the towering chocolate cake served at Italian-American dining rooms — minus the gelato scoop, so all the attention goes to the layers and the glaze. A crunchy cocoa-cookie crumb around the base gives you that restaurant-plate crispy element.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

• 6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

• 6 chocolate wafer cookies, crushed
• 2 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts
• flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment circles, grease the parchment, and dust the sides lightly with cocoa powder.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup cocoa, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt until no cocoa lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
3. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla until smooth. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined, about 20 strokes.
4. Whisk in the hot coffee in a slow stream. The batter will be very thin and pourable — that is correct, and it is what makes the layers moist. Do not overmix.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the pans (about 2 1/4 cups each; a scale is helpful). Bake on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs and the tops spring back when pressed.
6. Cool the cakes in their pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edges, invert onto the rack, peel off the parchment, and cool completely, at least 1 hour. For the cleanest layers, wrap and chill the cooled cakes for 30 minutes before assembling.
7. Make the frosting: beat the softened butter in a stand mixer with the paddle (or with a hand mixer) on medium-high for 2 minutes until pale. Add the powdered sugar and 2/3 cup cocoa in three additions on low, scraping down between each.
8. Add the melted chocolate, 1/4 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy and spreadable, adding cream 1 teaspoon at a time if it feels stiff.
9. Assemble: level the cake tops with a serrated knife if domed. Set one layer on a cardboard round or serving plate placed on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread 1 cup of frosting to the edges, top with the second layer cut-side down, and press gently.
10. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting, smoothing the sides with an offset spatula or bench scraper. Aim for a flat top with a slight lip at the edge to hold the ganache. Refrigerate 30 minutes until the frosting is firm to the touch — this is essential for a clean glaze.
11. Make the ganache: put the chopped semisweet chocolate, corn syrup, and pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Heat the 3/4 cup cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to steam and bubble at the edges (about 190°F), then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit undisturbed 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the center outward until completely smooth. Stir in the butter.
12. Let the ganache cool to 90 to 95°F, about 10 to 15 minutes — it should coat a spoon and fall in a thick ribbon. Pour it over the center of the chilled cake, letting it spread on its own, and nudge it toward the edges with an offset spatula so it drips down the sides in a few places.
13. Sprinkle the crushed chocolate wafers and hazelnuts around the bottom edge and a few flakes of sea salt on top. Let the cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes for the ganache to set glossy, or chill 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
14. Slice with a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Serve at cool room temperature for the softest crumb.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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