This ultra-decadent 24 Layer Chocolate Cake features 12 layers of moist, fudgy chocolate cake and 12 layers of luscious chocolate filling, all topped with a rich, silky semisweet chocolate ganache. If you’re a chocoholic, this is the ultimate treat!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
1 ¾ cups unsalted butter, softened
4 ½ cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups cocoa powder
4 cups flour
1 ½ tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 cup + 2.5 tbsp cold coffee
1 cup + 2.5 tbsp milk
4 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Filling:
2 cups milk
2 cups + 2.5 tbsp heavy cream
4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
6 tbsp flour
½ cup cornstarch
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
For the Chocolate Ganache:
5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Make the Chocolate Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Spray two 9 x 3-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, spray the paper, and set aside.
Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Combine cold coffee, milk, and vanilla extract, and set aside as well.
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until combined.
On low speed, alternately mix in the dry and wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
Divide the batter between the two cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes completely in the fridge.
- Make the Chocolate Filling:
Mix together flour and sugar. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of cold milk with cornstarch. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks together. Set aside.
Bring heavy cream and the remaining 1 cup of milk to a boil.
Temper the eggs by slowly whisking half of the hot milk mixture into the eggs, then pour the egg mixture back into the rest of the milk mixture.
Stir in the vanilla extract, sugar, and flour mixture, and then add the cornstarch slurry. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, and let sit for a few minutes before stirring until smooth. Beat the custard with a hand mixer for a couple of minutes and chill in an ice bath.
- Assemble the Cake:
Trim the tops of the cakes to make a flat surface. Save the tops for cake crumbs to decorate later.
Cut each cake into 6 even layers, making 12 layers total.
Place the thickest layer on a serving plate and place the ring of a 9-inch springform pan around it.
Spread a thin layer of chocolate filling over the first cake layer, then add the next layer of cake. Continue layering cake and filling.
If you have two springform rings, assemble two cakes of 12 layers each, then chill the cakes in the freezer for 1 hour. After chilling, stack them on top of each other to create 24 layers.
Chill the cake until the filling is firm, then remove the springform rings.
- Make the Chocolate Ganache:
Heat the heavy cream until just boiling, then pour it over the chopped semisweet chocolate.
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth and silky.
Spread the ganache over the top of the cake and decorate the sides with the reserved cake crumbs.
This towering cake is perfect for special celebrations or whenever you’re in need of the ultimate chocolate indulgence. Enjoy every rich, decadent bite