Triple layer chocolate ganache cake recipe

Our triple chocolate ganache cake recipe is a real showstopper.

This chocolate ganache cake combines white, milk, and dark chocolate sponge cakes with a thick and rich ganache icing. Flavoured with vanilla extract and prepared with 500g of real chocolate, this is the ultimate treat for any chocolate lover. Tried and tested in our Woman's Weekly kitchen, this indulgent chocolate ganache cake serves 12-15 people and will take around 1hr and 5 mins to prepare, bake, cool, and decorate. Perfect for birthday parties or any other special occasion, we've decorated this chocolate sponge cake (opens in new tab) with white chocolate stars but you could cover it with your favourite sweets if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 350g butter, softened
• 350g self-raising flour
• 350g caster sugar
• 6 medium eggs
• Few drops vanilla extract
• 3tbsp milk
• 100g bar white chocolate, melted
• 100g bar milk chocolate, melted
• 100g bar dark chocolate, melted
• 300ml carton whipping cream
• 200g bar dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• Few drops vanilla extract
• White chocolate stars, for decoration

You will also need;

• 3 x 20cm round sandwich cake tins, buttered, floured and base-lined

Method

1. Set the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Tip the butter, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and milk into a bowl and beat well until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly between 3 bowls.
2. Top make the cakes: Stir the white chocolate into one of the bowls and spoon it out into a cake tin and spread out. Stir the milk chocolate into another portion and spoon into another tin and stir the dark chocolate into the final portion, then spread it out in the last tin.
3. Place the cakes in the oven, with 2 on the upper shelf and 1 on lower shelf. Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes until they have risen and feel just firm to the touch. The cake on the bottom shelf may need an extra 5 minutes as, depending on the oven, it may not cook as quickly as the top ones.
4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
5. To make the ganache: Bring the cream to the boil and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mix well, preferably using a stick blender. Stir in vanilla extract to taste. Leave the mixture to cool. Once cold, whisk the ganache until it’s spreading consistency.
6. Place the white chocolate cake on a serving plate and spread some ganache on the top, then place the milk chocolate cake on top. Spread some ganache over that, then place the dark chocolate cake on top. Spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle over some white chocolate stars. Keep the cake in a cool place until serving

Top tip for making our chocolate ganache cake:

When making the cake, if you mix the white chocolate in first, then the milk chocolate and finally the dark chocolate, you can use the same spatula for all the mixing without having to wash it in between the different flavours.

You might also like:

Mary Berry’s chocolate cake

Mary Berry's chocolate fudge cake (opens in new tab)

Chocolate chip cake (opens in new tab)