Description
The Lisbon Chocolate Cake is a rich and luscious dessert featuring a dense, fudgy chocolate base topped with a velvety chocolate ganache mousse. This elegant cake combines the intense flavors of semisweet chocolate and cocoa powder with a smooth, creamy texture, making it a perfect indulgence for any chocolate lover. The cake is baked softly, then chilled with a smooth chocolate cream topping, finished with a dusting of cocoa powder for an attractive and delectable presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 5 ounces (140 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, chilled
For the Ganache and Topping
- 1 3/4 cups (420 milliliters) heavy cream, divided
- 6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C). Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter the parchment as well to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and fine sea salt, then whisk to combine evenly.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Place the 1/2 cup butter in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate on top of the butter. Stir frequently until the butter and chocolate melt fully and the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
- Add Sugar and Eggs: Stir in the granulated sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring energetically after each addition, beating for about 1 minute after the last egg to ensure the mixture is smooth and pudding-like.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gently stir the sifted dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and tap the pan firmly on the counter a couple of times to settle the batter evenly.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a tiny streak of chocolate. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.
- Unmold and Cool: Carefully remove the cake from the pan by inverting it, then peel off the parchment paper. Set the cake right side up on a rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Clean and dry the cake pan for later use.
- Prepare the Ganache: Pour 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream into a small saucepan and refrigerate the remaining cream. Heat the cream over medium heat until it just begins to scald (small bubbles form around edges), then remove from heat and stir in the finely chopped semisweet chocolate until completely melted and smooth.
- Chill and Whisk Ganache: Transfer the ganache to a heatproof bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Whisk vigorously, then refrigerate for another 10 minutes. Repeat this chilling and whisking cycle until the ganache thickens enough to leave visible tracks when stirred, approximately 50 to 60 minutes.
- Support the Cake: Cut two 3-by-16-inch strips of parchment paper or foil and crisscross them inside the cleaned cake pan. Carefully place the cooled cake back into the pan to provide support for the mousse layer, which is soft before chilling.
- Whip Remaining Cream: Whip the remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream until it holds medium peaks. This will help lighten the ganache mousse.
- Fold Ganache and Cream: Using a whisk, gently beat the chilled ganache until soft and spreadable. Using a spatula, carefully fold in the whipped cream until well combined but light and airy.
- Assemble and Chill: Spread the ganache mousse evenly over the cake while it is still in the pan. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours to set. Alternatively, it can be covered and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Finish and Serve: Just before serving, sift the unsweetened cocoa powder evenly over the top of the cake using a fine-mesh strainer. Run a table knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the cake, then use the parchment or foil handles to carefully lift the cake out of the pan onto a serving plate. Discard the parchment strips. Slice the cake with a long knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between each cut to ensure clean slices.
Notes
- The cake pan lined with parchment helps with easy removal of the delicate cake after baking and cooling.
- Chilling and whisking the ganache multiple times is essential to achieving a mousse-like texture; do not rush this step.
- Use a knife warmed in hot water and dried before each slice for clean, neat servings without cake crumbling.
- The cake is best served cool or at room temperature, so remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly.
- You can substitute bittersweet chocolate for semisweet based on your preference for sweetness intensity.
- Storing the cake covered in the refrigerator will keep it fresh for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Portuguese
Keywords: Lisbon chocolate cake, fudgy chocolate cake, chocolate mousse cake, Portuguese dessert, baked chocolate cake, chocolate ganache cake
