Easy Chocolate Cake with Ganache
Ingredients:
Chocolate cake with ganache
For cake:
1 large egg
1 c. granulated sugar
6 oz. plain, vanilla, or chocolate Greek yogurt (NOT diet, fat-free or light)
¼ c. canola or vegetable oil
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. brewed coffee, room temperature/warm (NOT hot)
½ c. unsweetened natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s)
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt, optional
For ganache:
9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (can use chips or bar, choose sweetness of chocolate you desire from milk to dark)
¾ c. heavy cream or half-and-half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 9x9 square baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour pan; set aside. In large mixing bowl combine egg, sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and whisk until smooth and combined. Add coffee, cocoa powder, and whisk vigorously until batter is smooth and free from lumps. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and whisk vigorously until batter has just combined, about 1 minute. Pour batter (loose and fairly runny consistency), into prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until top has set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan completely, at least 30 minutes, before adding ganache, or before slicing and serving. Unfrosted cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or store frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
For ganache:
Place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power for 1 minute to soften chocolate; set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, heat the cream or half-and-half on high power just until it begins to bubble and show signs of boiling, about 60 to 75 seconds. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let it stand about 1 minute. Whisk vigorously until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth and velvety. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Set bowl aside for about 10 minutes, allowing ganache to cool and thicken a bit. Whisk mixture briefly before pouring all of it over the cake. Lightly smooth and spread the ganache with a spatula or offset knife. Allow ganache to set up at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving the cake; or speed this process up by placing pan in the refrigerator or freezer briefly.
