World’s Best Chocolate Cake
Recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh
Adapted by Yotam Ottolenghi
Time
1½ hours, plus cooling
Rating
4 (5610)
The recipe for this cake, adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, first appeared in an article written about Ms.
Goh when she ran her cafe, the Mortar & Pestle, in Melbourne, Australia. Rather intimidatingly for her, the headline for the article
was "World’s Best Chocolate Cake." It could actually be called lots of things: “world’s easiest cake,” possibly, requiring nothing more
than one large bowl to make it all in. Or “most versatile cake,” given that it can be served without icing and just a light dusting of
cocoa powder, or dressed up to the nines, as it is here, with a thin layer of chocolate ganache and served with espresso cinnamon
mascarpone cream. In the Ottolenghi shops in London, it is smaller and goes by the name Take-Home Chocolate Cake, designed to
be shared by four people after a meal. This larger version is no less delicious, and keeps well for four to five days. As with any baking
project, you should weigh your ingredients in grams for the best results. —Yotam Ottolenghi
Ingredients Preparation
Yield: 12 servings Step 1
For the Cake Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9-inch/23-
1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons/250 grams centimeter round springform pan with butter and line with parchment paper, then set
unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 1½ aside.
tablespoons), at room temperature and cut
into ¾-inch/2-centimeter cubes, plus extra Step 2
for greasing the pan Make the cake: Place butter, chocolate and hot coffee in a large heatproof bowl and
7 ounces/200 grams dark chocolate (70 mix well until everything is melted, combined and smooth. Whisk in sugar by hand
percent cocoa solids), chopped into ¾- until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla extract and whisk again until thoroughly
inch/2-centimeter pieces combined and smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl and then
1½ teaspoons instant coffee granules,
whisk this into the melted chocolate mixture. The batter here is liquid, but don’t think
dissolved in 1½ cups/350 milliliters boiling you have missed something; this is how it should be.
water
Step 3
1¼ cups/250 grams granulated sugar
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is cooked and a
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few dry crumbs attached.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract The top will form a crust and crack a little, but don’t worry, this is expected. Leave the
1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons/240 grams self- cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan, then set aside until
rising flour (see note) completely cool.
⅓ cup/30 grams Dutch-processed cocoa
powder, plus 1½ teaspoons, for dusting Step 4
¼ teaspoon salt
Make the chocolate ganache, if desired: Place chocolate pieces in a food processor,
process until fine and set aside. Combine cream and corn syrup in a small pan and
place over medium-high heat. As soon as bubbles begin to appear (just before it comes
For the Chocolate Ganache (optional) to a boil), remove from the heat. Get the food processor running again, with the
7 ounces/200 grams dark chocolate (70 chocolate still inside, and pour in the hot cream in a steady stream. Process for 10
percent cocoa solids), broken or chopped seconds, then add butter. Continue to process until mixture is shiny and smooth. (You
can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly
can also make the ganache by hand; just make sure the chocolate is chopped fairly
roughly into ¾-inch/2-centimeter pieces finely before adding the cream mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until almost melted,
¾ cup/180 milliliters heavy cream then add the butter. Stir again until the ganache is smooth.)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Step 5
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap,
temperature
with the plastic actually touching the top of the ganache. Set aside until it has set to the
consistency you want. If you want a thin layer to spread over the cake, it can be poured
For the Espresso Cinnamon Mascarpone over while liquid so that you get an even, light and shiny coating. For a thicker ganache
Cream (optional) with a spreading consistency, leave it for about 2 hours at room temperature. (The
1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon/375 milliliters ganache can be stored at room temperature, providing it’s not too warm, for 3 days or
heavy cream kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It can also be frozen, although it will lose a bit of
¾ cup/190 grams mascarpone its shine when defrosted.)
Scraped seeds of ½ vanilla pod
Step 6
2½ teaspoons finely ground espresso
Make the espresso cinnamon mascarpone cream, if desired: Place all the ingredients in
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes,
2½ tablespoons confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form.
Step 7
Peel the parchment from the cake and discard. Transfer to a serving platter and spread
the ganache, if using, on top of the cake. Slice into wedges, divide the cake among
plates and, if using, spoon the mascarpone cream alongside. With or without icing, the
cake will keep well for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
Tip
If you can’t find self-rising flour, whisk together 1¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons/240 grams all-
purpose flour and 2¾ teaspoons baking powder and use this mixture instead.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Adapted from "Sweet" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh (Ten Speed Press,
2017)
