The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever | In Jennie's Kitchen

Every Friday I go up to Hudson, NY where I bake desserts at my friend’s restaurant, Grazin’—recently voted best burgers in Columbia County. Every Friday, I bake this cake, and everyone goes bonkers for it. You know what else I do most Fridays? I come home and make it for me and the girls, too (perhaps sleep deprivation explains the smudgy frosting on this cake plate above). It sounds crazy, having spent a better part of the day baking for work, only to come home and do it again, but there’s a good reason. This is seriously the best chocolate cake ever.

That’s a hefty proclamation, and I’m not one to say that unless I truly believe it. I know a lot about chocolate cakes—the good and the bad ones. I ate my way through many of them while pregnant with Isabella 14 years ago (that might also explain why she loves this cake so much). 

A smaller version of the Devil’s Food Cake I created for Mikey’s 50th birthday back in 2000, this cake packs a perfect balance of sweet enough without being too sweet. Chocolatey but not too chocolatey (if there were such a thing). The addition of coffee might seem a surprise, but it’s there to enhance and boost the flavor of the chocolate. I swear you won’t taste a bit of coffee in the final cake.

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever | In Jennie's Kitchen

And the frosting. Oh my, where do I even begin? The best chocolate cake ever deserves the best fudge frosting ever, and this one delivers 110%. The base is a rich chocolate ganache, a chameleon of sorts. When first made, the ganache is thin. You’ll wonder if I’ve led you astray. As it cools, though, the ganache gradually thickens. Get it at the perfect moment, and it’s a fudgy, spreadable consistency, making it the most perfect chocolate fudge frosting.

For a cake this size, you only need a 1/2 batch of this recipe. Since the frosting does take some time to set up in the fridge, be sure to plan accordingly. My suggestion is to get it started as soon as you pop the cakes in the oven, so it’ll be ready to use once the cakes are thoroughly cooled.

We tend to eat this cake in smaller slices. It’s so rich, a smallish wedge is just enough, making it the perfect size cake for eight people. If you want a heftier slice, then plan on it serving six.

This recipe is now available to paid subscribers on my site, Simmering.  Join thousands of other subscribers now for only $5/month or $30/year (that’s six months free!). Use this link for a special 15% discount on annual subscriptions for being a loyal reader of In Jennie’s Kitchen (that’s only $25.50/year!).

 

SaveSave

6 Comments

  • Margie

    Question: This cake looks fabulous and I plan to make it ASAP. However, 6 inch cake pans aren’t so easy to come by and my online search shows that they are available in different heights. Which height do you recommend? Many thanks!

  • Jennie

    Mine are three inches high, and are pretty easy to find at any kitchen supply store (like a Sur La Table or possibly Williams-Sonoma). You could also double the recipe, and bake them in 8-inch tins.

  • farmerpam

    Grazers is in the old diner building on Warren St, right? Will have to stop in next time I’m visiting friends in Hudson……and have a slice of that cake with a cup of coffee. Looking forward to it……yum.

  • Grace Chung

    Hi Jennie,
    I recently started following you on Instagram and I found myself reading through your blog posts last night. I don’t want to sound like a crazy person, but I read through all your posts labeled ‘Mikey’…your writing and the fierce love you shared with your husband drew me in and then I had to keep reading until the end. I also bookmarked about 15 recipes to try as well.
    Thank you for sharing your story and your journey. It has inspired me to slow down and cherish my time with my family and to cherish my time in the kitchen, cooking for them.
    It made me think of the verses in 1 Peter 4 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

  • Jennie

    Grace,
    That is so beautiful. Thank you for taking time from your life, to become part of mine here.
    xo-Jennie