Chocolate Gâteau Recipe: How to Make French Chocolate Cake
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 21, 2024 • 4 min read
A chocolate gâteau is a French cake packed with rich chocolate flavor for a classic treat that will be the hit of any dinner party or dessert spread.
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What Is a Chocolate Gâteau?
A chocolate gâteau, also known as gâteau au chocolat, is a classic French cake that you make out of pantry staples like flour, cocoa powder, oil, sugar, and leavening agents. To make the cake, bakers line thin, moist layers of cocoa-flavored cake with chocolate-laced whipped cream to create a luscious dessert that any chocolate lover will enjoy.
What Are the Differences Between a Gâteau and a Cake?
A cake and a gâteau both share similar base components: layers of baked cake made out of flour, sugar, egg, leavening agents, and butter separated by cream filling or icing. In fact, the French word “gâteau” directly translates to “cake” in English (meaning that all gâteaux are technically cakes). Here are a few of the basic differences between cake and gâteau:
- Texture: A French gâteau has a base of light and fluffy sponge cake. A standard cake is likely to be denser and more buttery than the porous, light sponge cake in a gâteau.
- Fillings: Layers of extra creamy fillings like icing, ganache, Chantilly cream, fruit preserves, or mousse separate the many cake layers of a gâteau. A standard cake typically incorporates a thicker buttercream frosting between its layers.
- Layers: Cakes usually consist of 1–2 thick layers of cake and an outer coating of buttercream frosting. A gâteau typically has as many as five thin layers of sponge cake.
3 Tips for Making a Chocolate Gâteau
Bakers of all experience levels will find that this refined chocolate cake is deceptively simple to make. All you need to do is follow the right techniques and use the best ingredients. Follow these simple tips to create the most delicious chocolate gâteau possible:
- 1. Use high-quality ingredients. This simple recipe requires you to use the best chocolate ingredients. Opt for high-quality chocolate to make the chocolate cream, real vanilla extract, and high-quality cocoa powder to make a gâteau in which the chocolate flavors shine.
- 2. Adapt the fillings. You can easily adjust this chocolate cake recipe to suit your palate. Stick to all milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or dark chocolate in your chocolate cream. Swap the vegetable oil for unsalted butter or buttermilk for the whole milk to vary the texture of your cake. Alter the cake batter by incorporating different extracts—like orange, almond, or peppermint extract—or add some espresso or a dash of your favorite liqueur to the batter for a refined twist.
- 3. Experiment with toppings. Get creative with the gâteau’s toppings. You can line the top of the gâteau with fresh fruit like tart berries or a swirl of fruit preserves or add a drizzle of caramel sauce or chocolate sauce for added sweetness. Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar for some extra light sweetness. Serve slices of the cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a cool, creamy finish.
Classic Chocolate Gâteau Recipe
makes
prep time
7 hrtotal time
7 hr 45 mincook time
45 minIngredients
For the chocolate cream:
For the cake:
- 1
Make the chocolate cream. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the heavy cream to a light boil.
- 2
When the cream starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted and incorporated into the cream.
- 3
Transfer the chocolate cream to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, pressing it gently onto the surface.
- 4
Allow the cream to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge and chilling it for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight.
- 5
When you’re ready to bake and assemble the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two cake pans or springform pans with butter or nonstick spray.
- 6
In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract until they are well combined.
- 7
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
- 8
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer running on medium speed, gently drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- 9
Using a rubber spatula, stir the hot coffee into the batter until it is well incorporated.
- 10
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans, dividing the batter evenly between the two.
- 11
Transfer the cake tins to the oven and bake them until you can insert a toothpick into the center of each cake, and it comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- 12
Remove the cakes from the oven, and allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
- 13
Run a knife along the edge of the cake pans and turn the cakes out onto wire racks to continue cooling.
- 14
While the cakes are cooling, remove the chocolate cream from the refrigerator. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream until it reaches a stiff peak.
- 15
When the cakes have cooled to room temperature, cut horizontally through the center of each cake to cut them in half, resulting in 4 thin cake rounds.
- 16
Place 1 of the cake rounds on a plate or cake platter and spread it with a thin layer of whipped chocolate cream. Repeat this layering process with each layer of cake. When you’ve reached the final layer, spread the remainder of the chocolate cream over the outside of the cake.
- 17
Slice the chocolate gâteau into wedges and serve.
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