An easy and gorgeous cake that tastes as good as it looks. Wow your guests with a cake that is much easier to make than they'll ever guess! Moist chocolate cake, creamy marshmallow fluff, decadent ganache, and crunchy graham crackers are a perfect combination.
Preheat oven to 325. Prepare two nine inch round pans by greasing them. Cut out parchment circles to place inside your pans, then grease the tops of those, as well. If you're making the marshmallow fluff, make it ahead of time or while your cakes are cooling.
Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa, and sugar to a bowl. Stir gently until it is all evenly distributed. Add oil, mayonnaise and milk. Mix at medium speed 1 minute.
2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 3/4 cup cocoa, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup milk
In a separate bowl, beat together th eggs and vanilla for two minutes until the eggs are light and frothy, then pour into the batter and mix on low until just combined. Add the coffee while stirring on low and mix just until incorporated fully. The batter will be very thin.
Pour into your two pans, doing your best to ensure that they are evenly distributed. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 325 until your cake tester comes out clean and the tops have lightly cracked.
While the cakes are baking, prepare your ganache, as it needs to cool for awhile before using. In a small pot, heat your cream just until it is steaming. Do not let it boil. In a small bowl, place your chocolate, and pour the scalded cream over your chocolate. Add the coffee, then stir gently with a spatula until thoroughly incorporated. Once smooth, let it sit at room temperature until you're ready to use it.
12 ounces dark chocolate, 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon brewed coffee
Cool for ten minutes, then lightly run a thin knife around the edge of the pans to loosen your cakes then turn out onto wire racks to cool further. Peel off the parchment paper, as well, as you don't want to eat it!
Place strips of parchment paper on the plate you'll use to serve your cake so that they overlap and make a wreath over which the cake will sit. Place your first layer face down onto the plate. Scoop your marshmallow fluff onto the center of your cake and use an offset spatula to smooth it out over your cake almost but not quite to the edges.
2 cups marshmallow fluff
Place your second cake face up on top of the first cake. Turn the second cake gently if necessary to ensure it is level, then press down gently. Pour about half your ganache over the cake from the center. Let it spill over the edges and carefully use another offset spatula to ensure the ganache adheres evenly across the sides of the cake. Pour more ganache atop the cake as needed to ensure you have adequate coverage. It's easier to do it in batches than all at once or it will simply pool at the base of your cake.
Once your ganache is all on the cake, carefully pull out the parchment paper one by one to help make your cake plate neater. There will still be some dribbles, as the ganache is fairly thin, but that's fine.
Crush two graham crackers and dust the top and sides of your cake with them, as desired. Break up your third graham cracker into small pieces and decorate your cake with them as desired. Serve immediately or let the ganache cure a little to make cutting easier and less sloppy.
This cake is best eaten the same day it is made, but it will last two to three days if needed. You can also make this dairy-free by substituting full-fat coconut milk for the cream and your favorite non-dairy milk for the milk.