This Death by Chocolate Cake, you have to test easily! Here the name says it all: "Death by chocolate" 🙂
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Taste and Occasion
Can't get enough of chocolate? Then you must try this easy recipe for "death by chocolate"! The name already hints at it: The cake is practically to die for 😅….
And so you can imagine the death by chocolate cake: Sure, extremely chocolaty. And that is both, the cake itself and the topping, a creamy ganache. The whole thing, of course, originated in the US. According to Wikipedia, it is even the protected product designation of a restaurant chain. Interestingly, however, there are very different definitions.
Ingredients
I wanted to be inspired but did not find the one original death by chocolate cake, but very different types. Sometimes multi-tiered with layers of frosting, sometimes with a base, sometimes with no flour at all, sometimes with just cocoa instead of chocolate.
"My" German death by chocolate cake is a mixture of many different chocolate cake recipes, for example, the chocolate sheet cake. The dough reminds me of brownies with comparatively little flour. There are both dark chocolate and baking cocoa in the recipe.
Warning: a cake called "death by chocolate" is not a light matter. It should be clear to everyone 😉 . Recipes that call for a 9 in / 23 cm small baking pan with around 600g sugar plus 750g chocolate (sometimes even without flour), are a little creepy. There are, by the way, not only on American websites but also on German.
How to make the Death by Chocolate Cake
Let's start: For the dough, carefully melt the butter with the chopped chocolate in a hot water bath and allow it to cool until lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease a 10 in / 26 cm springform pan and dust with some flour.
Now, beat the eggs with the sugar for 1-2 minutes until foamy. Mix the flour, sifted cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture together with the buttermilk and mix everything not too long to a homogeneous dough. Pour the dough into the pan, smooth it out, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Note: The cake should be baked through, of course, but not too long to stay moist!
While the cake is in the oven, prepare the ganache. Chop the chocolate finely. Heat the cream in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate. Let it stand for about 2 minutes, then stir it properly and vigorously until smooth (e.g. with a dough scraper). Allow the cream to set or thicken for about 15 minutes. If it is still too soft, you can put it in the freezer for a short time.
Then, spread it on the cooled cake with a small pastry palette or a pastry scraper - smooth it over with a small pastry palette or apply the ganache in waves, as desired. Keep refrigerated.
Top Tip
Even without these masses, the death by chocolate cake turns out incredibly delicious, chocolatey, moist and heavenly 🙂. You can prepare the cake well the day before and also freeze it.
Recipe Card
Death by Chocolate
Equipment
- 1 springform pan (10 in / 26 cm)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 140 grams (⅔ cup) butter
- 180 grams (1 cups) dark or milk chocolate
- 140 grams (⅔ cup) brown sugar
- 3 eggs, medium
- 200 grams (1 ⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
- 25 grams (⅓ cup) sifted baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 pinches salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste, optional
- 170 milliliters (11 ½ tablespoons) buttermilk
For the optional ganache
- 120 grams (½ cup) cream
- 140 grams (⅘ cup) dark or milk chocolate
Instructions
- For the dough, carefully melt the butter with the chopped chocolate in a hot water bath and allow it to cool until lukewarm. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease a 10 in / 26 cm springform pan and dust with some flour.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar for 1-2 minutes until foamy. Mix the flour, sifted cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture together with the buttermilk and mix everything not too long to a homogeneous dough.
- Pour the dough into the pan, smooth it out, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Note: The cake should be baked through, of course, but not too long to stay moist!
- While the cake is in the oven, prepare the ganache. Chop the chocolate finely. Heat the cream in a small saucepan, but do not boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate. Let it stand for about 2 minutes, then stir it properly and vigorously until smooth (e.g. with a dough scraper).
- Allow the cream to set or thicken for about 15 minutes. If it is still too soft, you can put it in the freezer for a short time. Then spread it on the cooled cake with a small pastry palette or a pastry scraper - smooth it over with a small pastry palette or apply the ganache in waves, as desired. Keep refrigerated.
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
This death by chocolate cake is a great alternative to the classic chocolate cake. It is lovely for cozy coffee or birthday parties. And if you prefer it a little healthier, you can try the keto chocolate cake, the vegan alternative, or the one with lots of protein 🙂.
About Kathrin & Jan
It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking simply makes you happy. Welcome and enjoy our blog!
Kathrin & Jan
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