Chocolate cake is the ultimate sweet treat, and it should be done properly, with a rich combination of cocoa powder and dark chocolate to make it truly decadent. A basic version of this classic cake isn’t difficult to make, but a renowned chef has staked their claim in having the “world’s best chocolate cake recipe”.
Yotam Ottolenghi is renowned for his vegetable-forward Middle Eastern cuisine, cookbooks, and restaurants. However, his chocolate cake recipe is indulgent to its core, says Shellie Froidevaux (@ironchefshellie). On her website, she described the cake as “perfectly rich and decadent” with an “excellent texture”—not dense and not too fluffy, just right. One thing that sets this cake apart from most is the use of a silky cream ganache in place of a heavy buttercream.
Recipe reviewers claim the cake is “very nice” and “you can’t go wrong” with it. But what makes it so special?
Dutch cocoa powder is deemed the professional standard for that deep colour and rich flavour, and when combined with high cocoa dark chocolate, it makes something worth shouting about, as Shellie explains.
World’s best chocolate cake recipe
Ingredients
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1cm cubes, plus extra for greasing
200g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped into 2cm pieces
One tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 350ml boiling water
250g white sugar
Two large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
240g self-raising flour
30g Dutch cocoa powder
Chocolate ganache
200g dark (70%) chocolate, broken or chopped roughly into 2cm pieces
180ml double cream
Three tsp glucose syrup
Three tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone Cream
375ml double cream
190g mascarpone
Seeds of ½ vanilla pod
Two tsp finely ground instant coffee
Half tsp ground cinnamon
Two tbsp icing sugar, sifted
Method
Heat oven to 170C/150C fan, then grease a 23cm round springform pan with butter and line with baking paper.
For the cake batter, combine the butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and mix well until everything is melted and smooth.
Whisk the sugar in by hand until dissolved, then add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly combined.
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of fine salt) into a separate bowl. Whisk into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. The batter will be liquid, but this is exactly how it should be, notes Shellie.
Carefully pour the finished batter into the prepared pan, tapping the base of the pan to remove air bubbles, and bake for 50 minutes to one hour, until the cake is cooked and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs.
The top will form a crust and crack a little, which is expected. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan, then set aside on a wire rack until completely cool.
For the ganache:
Meanwhile, make the ganache. First, place the chocolate pieces in a food processor and whiz until fine. Set aside, keeping the chocolate in the food processor.
Add cream and glucose syrup to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear, just before the mixture boils, remove it from the heat.
Turn on the food processor again with the chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream.
Process for 10 seconds, then add the butter. Continue to process until the mixture is shiny and smooth. If making the ganache by hand, make sure it is smooth by stirring after each ingredient is added.
Scrape the ganache into a bowl using a rubber spatula, and cover with plastic wrap – the plastic should touch the surface of the ganache.
Set aside for about two hours at room temperature until the ganache has set to a spreading consistency.
For the espresso cinnamon cream:
To make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, add all ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for around two minutes until soft peaks form.
Carefully peel the baking paper from the cake and discard it. Then, transfer the cake to a serving platter and spread the ganache on top of the cold cake.
Finally, slice the cake into wedges to serve, with a spoonful of the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream alongside.