Triple Chocolate Cake with Ganache & Crispy Chocolate Bark

This triple chocolate cake is rich, deeply chocolatey, and balanced with layers of cake, white chocolate filling, smooth ganache, and crisp chocolate bark topping. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a from scratch dessert that feels special without being overly complicated. It’s a rave-worthy recipe to have on hand when you want a chocolate cake for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.

I created this triple chocolate cake and its unique topping for a family birthday celebration and it was a hit! It looks a lot more complicated than it is – I mean, how fun is that bark topping, and yet how easy is chocolate bark? While it has a number of steps, they aren’t difficult and can be done while the cake is cooking and cooling, so it really only takes a little more than an hour total to make.

The layers of moist cake, white chocolate frosting, chocolate ganache, and then the crispy-creamy bark topping all come together for an amazing cake that will make any special occasion that much better. Think not only birthdays but holidays like Easter and Christmas as well.

I was originally inspired by this cake. I liked how it looked and thought it would make a special party dessert. However, once I read the recipe, I decided not to use it – the sponge cake didn’t really interest me (usually too dry for my tastes) and the steps were just too complicated for my usual simple approach to cooking.

I kept the shape and the idea of pieces of candy to top it, but used a favorite moist and fudgy chocolate cake recipe, filled the layers with a wonderful white chocolate frosting I’ve used many times, and then topped the layers with my standard, easy ganache (the same one I shared with you on this peanut butter chocolate celebration cake). Instead of a brittle candy, I created a chocolate swirled bark topping that looks just as fun, but is way easier than making a nut brittle.

The result was really fantastic and I’m so glad I was able to create a more simplified recipe that looks and tastes amazing – and that everyone enjoyed.

How to Make Triple Chocolate Cake

I think the best special recipes look more complicated than they are, and this is a perfect example. Is this a 20-minute recipe? No, obviously. But easy doesn’t always mean quick – and I promise this is easy.

Let’s break it down:

1. Make the cake. It’s just throwing the ingredients in a mixer like any cake. You bake it in a sheet pan (11″x17″) to be able to cut the layers.
2. Make the bark while the cake is baking. Melt two chocolates separately and then swirl one on top of the other on a pan. It takes about 5 minutes with a microwave. Stick it in the fridge to cool.
3. Cool the cake. Remove it from the pan after baking and let it cool.
4. Make the white chocolate frosting for the filling. Again, just adding things to a mixer. This can hang out in the fridge until the cake is completely cool.
5. Make the ganache after the cake is fully cooled. Let it sit to thicken up while you start to assemble the cake.
6. Cut the layers and frost like you would a normal layer cake.
7. Pour the ganache over the cake and smooth onto the sides (the tip in the recipe card to use waxed paper under the edges of the cake is spot on – don’t forget that).
8. Decorate the top by breaking up the bark and adding to the top of the cake.

Ta-da! You’re done and you have a bakery shop worthy cake.

The Topping

Let’s talk a bit about that chocolate bark topping.

I used the inspiration recipe as a guideline for how I assembled and decorated the cake. But instead of the complicated praline topping, I made an easy marbled chocolate candy bark – and included puffed cereal in the melted dark chocolate to create a crispy bark topping (the rice crispies are totally optional, though).

Chocolate bark is super simple to make (which is why I chose it, lol) by melting and pouring chocolate into a pan. Well, you wouldn’t believe the oohs and aahs this simple but unique topping received from everyone at the party!

How quick and easy it is will just be our secret, okay? We’ll just smile sweetly and bask in the applause.

TIP: The one thing that is a little difficult is figuring out how to cut the cake with the bark topping. Here’s my solution: remove the bark along cutting lines, cut slices, and then add bark back to the individual slices on each person’s plate.

Storage and Make Ahead

Make-Ahead: This cake can be made and assembled the day before you’d like to serve it. Cover the loosely with plastic wrap (the bark will help keep it off the ganache) and keep it in the refrigerator. You can serve it cold or bring it to room temperature for an hour or so.

Storage: Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week, either left uncut or separated into slices. Slices can also be frozen for a couple months wrapped in foil or in airtight containers.

At its core, this triple chocolate cake is a basic cake + filling + frosting, but putting it together in a different shape (the long three layers) and adding the bark topping makes it extra special. And that makes your guests feel extra special, too, which is really the point with recipes like this, isn’t it?

I sure hope you enjoy making and serving this triple chocolate cake to your family – please leave a rating and review to let me know!

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5 from 5 votes

Triple Chocolate Cake with Ganache & Crispy Chocolate Bark

Triple chocolate cake with rich ganache and a crispy chocolate bark topping. A from-scratch dessert made with simple ingredients and deep chocolate flavor.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Yield: 16 thin slices

1x2x3x

Author: Jami Boys

Equipment

• 11"x17" rimmed baking sheet
• stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl

Click for Cook Mode

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup neutral flavored oil like avocado or sunflower oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1  1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 1  2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk (preferably whole)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Crispy Chocolate Marbled Bark:

• 12 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate- pieces or cut up*
• 3/4 cup puffed cereal, rice crispies, etc.**
• 4 ounces premium white chocolate chunks- pieces or cut up***

White Chocolate Filling:

• 6 ounces premium white chocolate***
• 1/4 cup whole milk or cream
• 1 cup butter
• 1  1/2 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Ganache:

• 6 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate chips*
• 1/2 cup butter, cut in 8 pieces
• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Cake:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides and bottom of an 11 x 17 rimmed baking pan and then line the bottom with parchment.
• Mix cocoa powder, oil, water, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together in a small measuring cup or bowl and set aside.
• Mix flour, soda, and salt in another bowl and set aside as well.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, in 3 additions and then beat for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla until completely incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cake springs back when touched in the center.
• Cool in pan 10 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack large enough to hold it; remove paper and let cool completely.

Bark Topping:

• While the cake is baking, make the bark by melting the dark chocolate (low heat on stovetop or 1 to 1-1/2 minutes microwaved) stirring until smooth.
• Melt the 4 ounces of white chocolate in a separate container.
• Stir the puffed cereal into the dark chocolate and quickly spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet to about 1/4-inch thick (the edges don’t have to reach the pan edges – just evenly spread until it’s 1/4-inch). Immediately drizzle white chocolate over the entire top and then swirl into the dark chocolate with the tip of a butter knife to create a marbled effect. Place pan into the refrigerator to set.

Filling:

• While cake is cooling, prepare frosting for filling by melting the white chocolate and cream together (again, your choice of low heat on stovetop or 1 minute in the microwave) until smooth. Let cool about 15 minutes.
• Beat butter and sugar together with a mixer just until incorporated and then add the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat on high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Cover with a moist towel or plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator until cake is cool. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature if it gets too cold, stirring until it's a spreading consistency.

Ganache:

• Melt chocolate, butter, and honey together using the microwave or by setting a bowl into a pan of barely simmering water to make a water bath.
• Stir until smooth. It should be the consistency of heavy cream – if it’s too thin, refrigerate for 5 minutes or so and stir to thicken slightly.

To Assemble:

• Cut the cooled cake into three even pieces, each about 5  1/2 x 11 inches. Set the first layer on a serving plate and spread with half of the white chocolate filling. Top with second layer (trim edges as needed to make even with bottom layer – I found it's really hard to get them even the first time cutting) and spread with remaining filling. Top with the last layer and trim if needed.
• TIP: Tear waxed paper into strips and tuck under all the edges of the cake.
• Stir ganache and then pour over the top of the cake, using a spatula to spread gently over the edges and onto the sides. The ganache will pool on waxed paper some – use spatula to lift up and spread onto sides as needed.
• Let cool until ganache has just set – about 10 to 15 minutes – and gently remove waxed paper pieces (leaving perfectly clean edges!).
• Break the bark into small pieces and add to the length of the cake on top. Use some of the remaining bark around the edges of the cake as you like.
• Refrigerate until needed (the cake can be made a day ahead – cover loosely with plastic if keeping longer than a few hours).
• Tip for cutting and serving the cake: Remove the bark along the area you'd like to cut, cut thin slices, and then add some bark back to the individual slices on each person's plate.

Notes

*The total semisweet or dark chocolate you need is 18 ounces.

**The puffed/crisp cereal is optional – you can leave it out and just have chocolate marbled bark topping.

***10 ounces total white chocolate – make sure it has cocoa butter in it to be real, I use Ghirardelli brand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 686kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 3mg

Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

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• Foolproof Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
• Easy 20 Minute Chocolate Lava Cakes
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• Peanut Butter Chocolate Celebration Cake

This recipe has been updated, it was originally published in 2013.