Get ready all of you chocoholics for a chocolate overload! This is one of my most requested recipes and you will soon find out why. This Chocolate Truffle Cake has a layer of moist chocolate cake topped with easy dark chocolate mousse and all covered in silky chocolate ganache. Every layer is pure bliss and it is a true chocolate experience. There are different textures of chocolate from the silky ganache to the light and airy truffle and then the moist fudgy chocolate cake. This is a very special celebration cake great for so many occasions. The cake is even soft and moist straight from the fridge as it needs to be since this cake should be stored refrigerated. If you love chocolate cake, make sure you check out my Best Moist Chocolate Cake, One Bowl Chocolate Sheet Cake and Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - the cake can be made in one bowl with a whisk, so you don't need a mixer. You can also whip the cream by hand, although I often use my electric hand mixer to do it faster.
- Moist chocolate cake - the cake is SO super moist! It has the softest texture and stays moist for days without drying out, and it is even moist when cold from the fridge.
- Creamy smooth whipped chocolate truffle - the cake is topped with a creamy chocolate truffle mixture that is similar to chocolate mousse, but slightly more dense with more chocolate so it has the buttery texture of a truffle.
- Rich chocolate flavor - you will love the smooth and rich chocolate taste that shines through these layers.
- Chocolate glaze - I top this cake with a shiny and glossy dark chocolate ganache which really makes it look so impressive. You pour the slightly cooled glaze over the chilled cake so it sets quickly.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make a wonderful chocolate cake. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, spoon it into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off. This batter is meant to be quite runny so refrain from adding more flour to make it thicker.
- Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will keep this cake moist and tender.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate here. Do not leave it out!
- Cocoa powder - I recommend getting some good quality cocoa powder. It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
- Eggs - two whole eggs will set the structure of this cake and help emulsify the batter.
- Sour cream - one of the secrets to this moist chocolate cake is sour cream! It contributes the dairy undertones, rich flavor and body (thanks to its high protein and fat content) that oil-based cakes lack. Full fat sour cream adds richness and dairy notes to this cake in the absence of butter.
- Oil - this is an oil-based cake because oil is liquid at room temperature (it's an unsaturated fat) which means that the cake will still be soft when it's cold.
- Hot water - this recipe is unique in that uses hot water in the batter. The hot liquid dissolves the sugar and activates the leavening agents so that the cake begins to rise and set instantly. It is also the reason why this cake is so moist.
- Dark chocolate - you'll need pure dark chocolate to make the chocolate truffle layer and the chocolate glaze. Anything between 50 and 70% cocoa solids will work, but I highly recommend dark chocolate with 60% cocoa solids. You can blend semisweet chocolate with my favorite bittersweet chocolate callets which are very convenient.
- Whipping cream - look for whipping cream or "heavy" cream with 35% milkfat to make the chocolate mousse truffle layer and the chocolate ganache glaze.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE: STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
This recipe is SO EASY and you can make it all with a bowl and a whisk -- no mixer required if you don't have one! See the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
- STEP 1). Make the cake base. Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add sugar and salt and whisk to blend well.
- STEP 2). Combine wet ingredients. Combine eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to blend well.
- STEP 3). Mix wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk or an electric hand mixer on medium-low until blended. It will be thick and somewhat dry.
- STEP 4). Mix in hot water. Add the hot water gradually in two stages to minimize clumps forming and beat until evenly combined and the batter smooth.
- STEP 5). Bake. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake springs back when pressed gently and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- STEP 6). Level the cake. Trim the top of the cake to level it out and make it flat with a long sharp serrated knife. Place the cake back into the springform pan.
- STEP 7). Make the truffle topping. Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat ½ cup of cream with honey in a small saucepan or in the microwave until simmering, then immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream with cocoa powder to soft peaks. Fold one-third of this cream into the cooled ganache until evenly combined. Add the remaining cream and fold it in gently until no streaks remain.
- STEP 8). Chill the cake. Spoon the filling over the cooled, leveled cake in the pan and smooth it out. Place it in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
- STEP 9). Make the glaze. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth and glossy. Let it cool for about 15 minutes so it isn't steaming and no longer hot, but just slightly warm so it is still fluid. Pour it over the chilled cake and quickly smooth it out or tilt the cake around to help spread out the glaze evenly. Chill until set and then serve chilled or at room temperature for a softer texture.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DUTCH COCOA POWDER AND NATURAL COCOA POWDER?
- Dutch cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkalizing agent (a basic ingredient) such as potassium carbonate or sodium carbonate. This treatment, combined with certain parameters of pressure and temperature will increase the pH (decrease the acidity) of the cocoa powder to give it a less sour taste, darken the color and help it become more dispersible in water. My preferences for Dutch cocoa powder ones with a higher fat content and they are this Cacao Barry Extra Brute, Ghirardelli Majestic and Green & Blacks Organic.
- Natural cocoa has not been alkalized and is 100% cocoa powder. It has a lighter color and has a very lovely fruity flavor with some pleasant acidity and slight bitterness that is inherent to the cocoa bean. My preferences for natural cocoa are Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa and Hershey's Unsweetened.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE MOUSSE CAKE
- Use a neutral tasting oil like pure sunflower oil for the cleanest flavor to let the chocolate taste stand out.
- Do not reduce the sugar. The right amount of sugar will make cake moist because it binds water so that it stays tightly in the batter and doesn't evaporate excessively during baking. The right amount of sugar keeps the cake tender even when served cold.
- Keep an eye on the baking time. Set a timer for the first time stated in the recipe and check with a skewer - it should come out clean.
- Stir the ganache gently. Do not whip or beat the cream and chocolate when making the ganache for the truffle layer or it will cause the milkfat and the cocoa butter to separate.
- Whip the cream just to soft peaks. This will create a delicate soft truffle filling. If you over-whip the cream, it may give the mousse a grainy texture.
RECIPE FAQ
Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do. You can even use olive oil, but keep in mind that it will add the taste of olive oil to the cake.
This recipe works with both Dutch process and natural cocoa powder. For a darker color like in this photo, I use high fat Dutch cocoa powder. My preference is this one and this one. Natural cocoa has a wonderful fruity flavor and I like to use it as well. You can use Hershey's natural cocoa or this one that I love.
Sour cream really makes this cake delicious, but if sour cream is not available to you where you live, you can also make this recipe using an equal amount of full fat Greek yogurt. I have tested this and it worked well! Another suitable substitution is crème fraîche which is a type of fermented dairy product somewhere between yogurt and sour cream.
Yes! You can use hot coffee like my Moist Chocolate Cake recipe. It will just elevate the roasty, caramel-like notes of the chocolate. You can also make instant coffee instead of brewing a fresh pot, and for this I suggest using 1 teaspoon of instant coffee for ½ cup of hot water.
It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.
I normally scoff at a cake recipe that uses only oil and no butter since butter is superior for its flavor. However, oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.
This cake will bake up with a slight dome. To level it off, gently place your less dominant hand flat over the top of the cake and use a sharp serrated knife with your dominant hand to slice it horizontally from edge to edge to cut off the domed top. This also exposes the open crumb so that the chocolate truffle topping absorbs into the cake a bit.
Yes, you can make this cake in an 8x8-inch round cake pan, 8x8-inch square baking pan or a 9x9-inch square pan. If you use an 8x8-inch round pan the cake and the truffle layers will be taller and the cake will take longer to bake. If you use a 9x9-inch square pan, the cake layer and the truffle layer will be thinner.
If you want an extra thick and tall chocolate mousse layer on the 9-inch round cake, you can double all of the quantities. The only difference is that it will take slightly longer to chill.
I would not recommend freezing this whole cake as the truffle topping will have a very different texture once thawed. However, you can freeze the cooled cake base. Just wrap it well in plastic and then store in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If your chocolate ganache looks grainy or separates, it is likely one of the following: the cream was too hot when you started stirring, you have over-beaten or over-mixed the ganache when the cream was added, there was not enough cream for the amount of chocolate, or the chocolate had too high cocoa solids. Be sure to let the chocolate and hot cream sit for 2 minutes before stirring as this allows the chocolate to melt gently and evenly to form a smooth emulsion. Do not beat vigorously - just stir from the center until you see it become glossy. Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately and use the chocolate stated in the recipe. If the cocoa solids are too high, then the ratios will be off.
If you love cake, check out these recipes!
Ultimate Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Lemon Pistachio Cake Sticky Toffee Date Cake Moist Lemon Blueberry Bread Olive Oil Chocolate Bundt Cake Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe with Chocolate Fudge Frosting Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting Blueberry Peach Upside Down CakeFor the love of chocolate
Looking for more decadent chocolate recipes? Try these:
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Video
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake batter:
- 1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp (175g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (80ml) sunflower oil
- 2 large eggs well beaten
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (80ml) full fat sour cream
- ½ cup (120ml) hot water (just off the boil for a few minutes)
Whipped Chocolate Truffle:
- 7 oz (200g) dark chocolate (55-60% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ cups (355ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) corn syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon (6g) cocoa powder (I prefer this one)
Chocolate glaze:
- 4 oz (113g) semisweet dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (95ml) 35% heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) light corn syrup or honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the base of a 9-inch round springform pan with a round of parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter.
- Make the cake. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a medium bowl. Add sugar and salt, then whisk to blend evenly. Add oil, beaten eggs, sour cream and vanilla and begin to whisk gently. It will be thick. Add the hot water and whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake will dome and may crack slightly at the top - that's ok. We want it to dome because it gives us more grip when we slice and level off the cake to make a perfectly flat and even layer. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan.
- Once cool, remove the cake from the pan and peel off the parchment. Then trim the top of the cake to level it out and make it flat with a long sharp serrated knife. Place the cake back into the springform pan. Optional: cut a 4-inch wide strip of parchment the length equal to the perimeter of the pan and wrap it around the inside of the pan so it is flush with the sides. It should stand up about an inch above the rim of the pan. This will make it easier to release the sides of the pan once you add the truffle topping.
- NOTE: this part of lining the sides with parchment is optional if you want to go the extra mile to get smooth sides. When I'm being lazy, I entirely skip that part. Instead, I take a small offset spatula or palette knife, run it under boiling water, wipe it dry and gently run it around the edges of the cake to release it, then I smooth out the sides with a hot dry knife.
- Make the truffle layer. Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Add ½ cup (118ml) of cream and honey to a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan over medium heat until simmering, then immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. You can also heat it in the microwave. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes, then whisk with a gently stirring motion until smooth and glossy. If there are still some bits of unmelted chocolate, place it in the microwave on medium power for 20-30 seconds to help melt them. Let cool until no longer warm, but not set.
- Combine the remaining 1 cup (237ml) of cream with cocoa powder in a large bowl and whip to soft peaks using an electric hand mixer or by hand with a whisk. Fold one-third of this cream into the cooled ganache until evenly combined. Add the remaining cream and fold it in gently until no streaks remain.
- Chill the cake. Spoon the truffle filling over the cooled, leveled cake in the pan. Spread it out evenly and use a small offset spatula to smooth out the surface. Place it in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
- Make the glaze. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat cream and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Whisk gently until smooth and glossy. Let it cool for about 15 minutes so it isn't steaming and no longer hot, but just slightly warm so it is still fluid. Pour it over the chilled cake and quickly smooth it out or tilt the cake around to help spread out the glaze evenly. Chill until set and then serve chilled or at room temperature for a softer texture.
- NOTE: when cold, the truffle topping will be firm like whipped chocolate ganache. I like to leave it out at room temperature for 2 hours before serving to soften it, but either way is absolutely delicious. This cake needs to be stored refrigerated.
Martha
I made this for my 60th birthday party and it was sooo perfect. Multiple people thought I had purchased it. Perfect amount of sweetness, easy to make and turned out perfectly even with my own substitution of 21 Tablespoons of cocoa and 7 Tablespoons of butter for the 7 oz of chocolate in the filling as I only had enough squares for the glaze. Will make again!
Dora
I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! It's decadent, so can serve quite a large group since the portion size can be on the smaller size.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Dora!
Michelle
This cake is so wonderfully delicious! It has a great chocolate flavor. My daughter said that she couldn’t get enough of it! Thanks for a great dessert!
Bess
This looks incredible!
Can you add hot coffee to the batter instead of hot water?
I love the way coffee enhances the chocolate flavour
christina.marsigliese
Hi Bess, yes you can.
Shalu Gupta
What can be a replacement of eggs?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Shalu, this recipe requires egg.
Jenn
Made this for my dad's 78th birthday as he is a German and lover of rich, dark chocolate. This cake did not disappoint! It was very easy to follow the recipe and each layer came out perfectly. Deep, rich, moist chocolate cake layer topped with a silky smooth chocolate truffle topped with a dark chocolate ganache. This is cake perfection!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Jenn. Happy birthday to your Dad!
Laura
How far in advance are you able to make this cake?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Laura, you can make it up to 2 days ahead.
L Lynne
I am gluten intolerant. Are there any flours/flour blends that you might recommend instead of the A-P flour? And if so, how to work with it in a way similar to working with regular flour? Thank you for your ideas.
christina.marsigliese
Hi there, I've heard Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour works well.
Jakeem Henderson
Hello everyone, I’m a self taught baker or whatever I want to call myself. Soon as I seen this recipe I knew I had to make it. Lord knows we love chocolate in this house. Easy to me to make not difficult at all. Will make again!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks Jakeem! Always happy to meet another chocoholic 😉
Airin
Second time doing this within one month. Perfect recipe! Thank you 🥹
Diana
I’ve made this recipe at least 6-7 times in the last 3 mths, absolutely loved this recipe. Family and friends have also asked for the recipe.
Highly recommended recipe!!
Lauren
Hi Christina, can’t wait to try this recipe it looks amazing! Just wondering if the oven temperature is for fan forced or conventional?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Lauren! It's for conventional.
Ryan
I made this cake yesterday for my father's birthday, and it was sooo good! Way better than store-bought cakes and easy to make. Thank you for this brilliant recipe!
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Ryan! Happy belated birthday to your dad!
Renee Carron
I made for my parents' anniversary and after one bite my mom goes, "you did make this right?" "Yep"..."ok, make it again" and then later said I will pay you to keep making it. 🙂 This site never fails but this looked way more labor intensive and impressive than it was to make. Plus black raspberry ice cream on the side is pretty tasty.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Renee, I love this so much! Thank you for making my chocolate truffle cake. I'm so glad your parents enjoyed it. Sounds like to did an incredible job!
Beth
So SO good!!! This is probably the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had and ever made. Can’t wait for another occasion to make it again!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Beth!
ANDREA Cardoza
I made the gorge truffle cake today and it tasted absokutely beautiful. Christina you are so talented. Xxx Another fab recipe
Christina Simonitsch
Absolutely perfect!!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you!
Meghan
Are you able to sub the sunflower oil for vegetable oil?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Meghan, yes you can.
Sangeetha Michael
Hi, the cake looks delicious. The steps in the instructions though feels like there’s a mistake with step 7 & 9- I think a part of step 9 was supposed to be in step 7 since the glaze doesn’t have to be whipped to medium stiff peaks isn’t it?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Sangeetha, it is correct now. Please check again 🙂
Maria Mammen
I have made this cake twice in less than a month.
If you follow the recipe the cake turns out fab.
The cake itself is moist and the truffle layer is yummy.
The ganache topping completes it.
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Maria!
Karen Nelson
I'm confused by this recipe. For the chocolate glaze you only have three ingredients listed but under the instructions for the glaze, you say to add whipped cream and cocoa power to the glaze. Are you using the whipped cream and cocoa powder that you make in the previous step under the truffle layer?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Karen, sorry for the mix-up. It is corrected now.
Jen
Definitely want to try this cake and chocolate ganache, but my son has milk and tree nut allergies (coconut is not included in the latter — we *love* coconut in all forms). Could you recommend replacements for the sour cream and other dairy milk based ingredients, or should I just skip attempting this?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Jen, you can use coconut milk in place of cream. And you can use non-dairy sour cream.
Rebecca
Can’t wait to make this for my favorite chocoholic customers. It’s their anniversary. Their 5-year-old has been eating my truffles since he was 2. His rule for the cake is CHOCOLATE and no fruit.
christina.marsigliese
LOL this kid has my heart 🙂