Marry Me Chocolate Cake

The "marry me" recipe trend has been everywhere — the idea being it's so good, it'll get you a proposal. This chocolate version is rich, deeply fudgy, and topped with a glossy ganache that makes it feel like a genuine occasion cake, even on a random Tuesday.

Ingredients

Cake

• 200g plain flour
• 350g granulated sugar
• 85g cocoa powder
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 250ml buttermilk
• 125ml vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 250ml hot coffee (or hot water)

Ganache

• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200ml heavy cream
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease and line two 20cm/8-inch round cake pans.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
4. Slowly stir in the hot coffee — the batter will be thin, that's correct.
5. Divide between the pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
6. For the ganache, heat the cream until just simmering, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Add a pinch of salt.
7. Let the ganache cool and thicken slightly, then spread between the layers and over the top and sides of the cake.

Tip: the hot coffee doesn't make the cake taste like coffee — it deepens the chocolate flavor significantly, so don't skip it.

Hugs, Alla xox

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