Summary of "THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU WILL EVER MAKE AT HOME! │ EASY AND DECADENT CHOCOLATE CAKE │ CAKES BY MK"

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE YOU WILL EVER MAKE AT HOME!

(Cakes by MK)

Ingredients

Wet / misc
- Milk
- Butter
- Instant coffee
- Dark chocolate (presenter refers to “50 dark chocolate” and uses dark chocolate again for ganache)
- Yogurt
- Canola oil (or any vegetable/vegetable oil)
- Eggs
- White granulated sugar
Dry
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pinch of salt
Ganache
- Dark chocolate and heavy cream in a 1:1 ratio (presenter uses 400 g dark chocolate : 400 ml heavy cream)

Note: Exact quantities for the cake batter ingredients are not listed in the subtitles. Full quantities are in the video description and on the presenter’s blog (www.cakespymk.com). Use 400 g chocolate / 400 ml cream for ganache if following the presenter’s proportions.

Equipment & prep

Two 6-inch cake tins (the recipe makes two 6” layers). Grease and flour tins before filling.
Microwave (or double boiler) for melting chocolate
Mixing bowls, spoon, whisk
Serrated knife and turntable for trimming layers
Cake board (the presenter uses an acrylic disk) and offset spatula
Long thin knife or spatula for loosening cakes from tins
Scale (optional) for dividing batter
Preheat oven to 150°C (presenter says “150 degrees”) — bake time 1 hour

Method — Cake Batter

Combine milk, butter, instant coffee, dark chocolate and sugar in a bowl so everything is coated with milk.
Melt the mixture: microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until fully melted and smooth. (Alternative: melt over a double boiler.)
Whisk in yogurt and oil until combined.
Whisk in eggs; whisk for about 2 minutes.
Sift in dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and mix with a whisk until fully combined. Mix only until the flour disappears and there are no large lumps — do not overmix.
Divide batter evenly between the two prepared 6” tins (use a scale if desired). Bang tins lightly to settle batter and release large air bubbles.

Baking & cooling

Bake at 150°C for 1 hour.
Tip: cakes are delicate — avoid opening the oven too early (check no earlier than ~45 minutes) to prevent sinking.
Cool in tins for about 30 minutes, then run a thin long knife/spatula around the edge if needed and turn cakes out of tins.
Let cool completely before decorating.

Chocolate Ganache (Frosting)

Use a 1:1 weight/volume ratio of chocolate to heavy cream (presenter: 400 g dark chocolate : 400 ml heavy cream).
Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate so the chocolate is fully coated.
Melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, or use a double boiler. Stir until silky smooth.
Let ganache thicken before using — presenter recommends letting it set about 5 hours (she waited ~6 hours); you can refrigerate to speed thickening. The longer it sets, the firmer it becomes.

Assembly & Decorating

Trim cake tops flat with a serrated knife using a turntable: hold the knife steady and rotate the turntable to slice evenly.
Place the first cake layer on the cake board and use a little ganache to “glue” it to the board.
Pour some ganache on top and use an offset spatula to spread to the edges, allowing a little to drip over the sides for a rustic “naked” cake look.
Place the second layer on top and repeat pour/spread.
Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes to set ganache before final decorating.
Finish with freeze-dried fruit and edible glitter for a rustic decorative finish.

Chef Tips, Technique Cues & Common Mistakes

Melt chocolate/mixtures in short (20-second) microwave bursts, stirring between bursts to avoid burning; use a double boiler as an alternative.
Whisk eggs for about 2 minutes for good incorporation and texture.
Do not overmix batter — stop once flour disappears and no big lumps remain.
Bang cake tins to settle batter and remove air bubbles.
Use a scale to divide batter evenly if not confident eyeballing.
Don’t open the oven too early — delicate cakes can sink (check after ~45 minutes).
If cake sticks to the tin, run a long thin knife or spatula around the edge to help release.
Let ganache thicken (several hours or refrigerate) before using to ice; if still runny, give it more time.

Plating & Serving

The presenter makes a rustic “naked” chocolate layer cake finished with freeze-dried fruit and edible glitter.
After chilling and setting, slice to serve — the cake should have a soft, evenly textured crumb.

Variations & Substitutions

Canola oil may be substituted with any vegetable oil.
Microwave melting can be substituted with a double boiler.
The ganache ratio in this video is fixed at 1:1; thickness is adjusted by resting time/refrigeration rather than changing the ratio.

Sources / Presenter

Channel / presenter: Cakes by MK (references CakeSpy / MK in closing)
Full ingredient quantities and additional recipe details: video description and blog — www.cakespymk.com
Instagram tag mentioned in subtitles: @cakesmymk.nz