Chocolate Crunch Cake
This rich, fudgy chocolate cake gets topped with a silky dark chocolate ganache and a thick layer of chocolate hazelnut cornflake crunch that adds the most satisfying, crackly texture to every scoop. It bakes in one dish, doesn't need to be sliced pretty, and is the kind of no-fuss dessert that disappears before it even fully sets!
Equipment
- Whisk
- Microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup milk of choice, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup neutral oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot coffee
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 2 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Cornflake Crunch:
- 3 cups cornflakes
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×11 baking dish generously with coconut oil or cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. Add the milk, neutral oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. Pour in the hot coffee and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28–32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake or the cake will be dry. Let cool completely in the pan before adding any toppings.
- While the cake cools, make the ganache. Combine the dark chocolate chips, milk, chocolate hazelnut spread, coconut oil, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth, silky, and glossy — about 60–90 seconds total. Let cool for 5 minutes until slightly thickened but still pourable.
- For the cornflake crunch, combine the chocolate hazelnut spread and melted chocolate in a large bowl and stir until fully combined and smooth. Add the cornflakes and fold gently until every single cornflake is completely coated in the chocolate mixture.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, pour the ganache generously over the top, spreading it to the edges and letting it pool slightly. Immediately pile the chocolate cornflake crunch generously over the ganache while it’s still slightly warm and soft so the cornflakes adhere and nestle into the ganache as it sets.
- Let sit for 15–20 minutes until the ganache is set enough to hold the cornflakes in place. Serve directly from the baking dish with a large spoon. This cake is meant to be scooped, not sliced cleanly.
Notes
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the ganache. Pouring it over a warm cake will melt the ganache too thin and it’ll run right off the sides.
- Hot coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. Don’t skip it. Water works in a pinch but the depth won’t be the same.
- Fold the cornflakes gently into the chocolate mixture so they stay whole and crunchy rather than crushing into crumbs.
- Add the cornflake crunch while the ganache is still slightly tacky so it sticks. Wait too long and the ganache sets smooth and the crunch just slides off.
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