Moist Chocolate Layer Cake

An incredibly moist chocolate layer cake you’re family will love!

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This moist chocolate layer cake has all the same layers as Greek Pasta Sokolatina –decadent chocolate cake soaked with coffee syrup, creamy bavarian chocolate cream, and silky chocolate ganache baked in a baking pan. Here’s the recipe, which makes two round chocolate cakes. It gives you one cake to serve and an extra for the freezer. This layer cake recipe uses the extra cake from my freezer but start by making the cake from my Pasta Sokolatina recipe if you need to. Then, come back to this recipe to create a beautiful moist chocolatey layer cake!

Everyone’s favorite birthday cake!

• Two moist chocolate cake layers
• Creamy Bavarian chocolate cream
• Smooth and silky chocolate ganache
• Layers of chocolatey moist cake and luscious Bavarian cream topped with creamy vanilla whipped cream!

The essentials for a moist chocolate layer cake

• Round chocolate cake –see Pasta Sokolatina recipe

For the Coffee Syrup:

• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Pure vanilla extract
• Instant coffee

For the Pastry Cream:

• Whole milk
• Corn starch
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Egg yolks
• Heavy whipping cream
• Pure vanilla extract

For the Whipped Cream:

• Heavy whipping cream
• Pure vanilla extract
• Confectioner’s sugar

For the Ganache:

• Semi-sweet chocolate
• Heavy whipping cream
• Instant coffee
• Pure vanilla extract

An equipment tip for making cakes

In the directions of making this layer cake, I ask you to put the cake in the freezer a couple of times, and not everyone has room for a cake on a cake stand in their freezer. So, if you’re going to be making cakes, it’s a good idea to get round cake cardboards. That way, you can assemble the cake on the cardboard and just lift it off of your cake stand to put in the freezer or refrigerator. You won’t have to scramble to find space for the stand, just the cake itself. They sell the cake cardboards on amazon and in cake decorating shops. So, check them out!

How to make Moist Chocolate Layer Cake

Make the Pastry Cream:

• Combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat until steaming hot.

• Combine the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
• Add a little of the hot milk to the egg mixture while whisking.
• Then, transfer the egg mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while constantly whisking until thickened.
• Once thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in vanilla extract.
• Then, pass the cream through a strainer over a large bowl.
• Cover the cream with plastic to prevent a skin from forming and set it aside to cool.
• If you are making the pastry cream ahead, chill in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and then whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake.

Make the Syrup:

• Whisk together all of the syrup ingredients (except the vanilla) in a small saucepan.
• Place the pot over high heat and as soon as it comes to a boil and the sugar melts, remove from the heat.
• Add the vanilla, and set aside to cool.

Make the Ganache:

• Add the chocolate and coffee to a bowl
• Heat the heavy cream until scalding hot, then pour the cream over the chocolate
• Add the vanilla and whisk together until smooth and shiny.

Make the Whipped Cream:

• Add all whipped cream ingredients to a large bowl and whip until thick and creamy.

Assemble the Cake:

• Add 2-4 tablespoons of the chocolate ganache to the whipped cream and whisk together until combined. Make it as chocolatey as you like!
• To turn the pastry cream into Bavarian chocolate cream, mix half of the pastry cream into a large mixing bowl with 2-4 tablespoons of chocolate ganache. Then, add about a cup of chocolate whipped cream to the chocolate pastry cream and mix with a whisk until combined.
• Next, using a serrated knife, cut the cake into two layers.
• Place the bottom layer onto a cake board or a serving platter, and brush with a generous amount of coffee syrup.
• Fill a pastry bag that has been fitted with a large star tip with the chocolate whipped cream, and pipe a ring of whipped cream around the border of the cake layer.
• Then, spread about two tablespoons of ganache in the center of the whipped cream ring and top with half of the bavarian chocolate cream.
• Carefully place the top chocolate cake layer on the whipped cream/bavarian cream layer crumb side down and brush with the coffee syrup.
• Repeat the whipped cream ganache layer and finish with the rest of the bavarian cream.
• Place the cake in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the ganache in the microwave in 10-second intervals until it has reached a thin and pourable consistency. The intervals keep the chocolate from burning.
• Then, pour the ganache on top of the cream and let it drip down the sides of the cake.
• Chill the cake in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.
• Before serving, pipe chocolate whipped cream rosettes on top of the ganache to garnish each cake piece.

Serving

The beautiful chocolate whipped cream rosettes look great on top of the layer cake, but you can get even fancier. Try sprinkling a few almonds on top or adding strawberry slices, blueberries, or raspberries. You could even add chocolate sprinkles. Make it your own. It’s a beautiful cake to serve at a birthday party or family gathering, and everyone will rave about how moist, chocolatey and delicious it is. Send me your pictures, and Kali Orexi!

More Cake Recipes:

• Sokolatina Cake
• Zoumero Keik: Greek Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake
• Mosaiko
• Lemon Cream Cake

Continue to Content

Moist Chocolate Layer Cake

Yield: Serves 10-12

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Ingredients

• 1 (8 or 9-inch) round chocolate cake

For the Coffee Syrup:

• 1/2 cup (125ml) water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee

For the Pastry Cream:

• 2 cups (475ml) whole milk
• 4 tablespoons (40g) corn starch
• 3/4 cup (187g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Whipped Cream:

• 2 cups (500ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

For the Ganache:

• 12 oz (340g) semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 and 1/2 cups (375ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Pastry Cream:

Combine the milk, half of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat until steaming hot. Combine the egg yolks, remaining sugar, cream, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the hot milk to the egg mixture and whisk together. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat while whisking it comstantly until thickened. Pass the cream through a strainer that has been set over a large bowl. Cover the cream with plastic to prevent a skin from forming and set aside to cool.

The pastry cream can be chilled in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Whisk it together until smooth before spreading it on top of the cake.

Make the Syrup:

Combine all of the syrup ingredients (except the vanilla) in a small saucepan and whisk them together. Place the pot over high heat and as soon as it comes to a boil and the sugar melts remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside to cool.

Make the Ganache:

Add teh chocolate and coffee to a bowl and heat the heavy cream until scalding hot. Pour the cream over the chocolate and add the vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and shiny.

Make the Whipped Cream:

Add all of the whipped cream ingredients to a large bowl and whip until thick and creamy.

Assemble the Cake:

Add a few tablespoons of the chocolate ganache to the whipped cream and fold it in until combined. Make it as chocolatey as you like.

Place half of the pastry cream into a large mixing bowl and flavor it with the chocolate ganache. Add about a cup of the chocolate whipped cream to the chocolate pastry cream and mix with a whisk until combined to create chocolate Bavarian cream.

Using a serated knife, cut the cake into 2 layers. Place one layer onto a cake board or onto a serving platter. Brush the cake layer with a generous amount of the coffee syrup.

Fill a pastry bag that has been fitted with a large star tip with the chocolate whipped cream. Pipe a ring of chipped cream around the border of the cake layer.

Spread about 2 tablespoons of ganache on the center and top with half of the chocolate bavarian cream.

Carefully place the other chocolate cake layer on top and brush with the coffee syrup. Repeat the same process and then place the cake in teh freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Melt the ganache in the microwave until it has reached a thin and pourable consistency. Microwave at 10 second intervals as to not burn the chocolate.

Pour the ganache on top of the cream and let it drip down the sides of the cake.

Chill the cake in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Pipe chocolate whipped cream rosettes on top of the ganache after it has chilled and serve.

Kali Orexi!

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