Texas Kitchen: The Driskill’s 1886 Chocolate Cake recipe

Pastry chef Kristen Groth, who has been at The Driskill since 2021, puts her own spin on history with the addition of a dark chocolate ganache and a chocolate mirror glaze. Ready to try your own hand at this simplified version of the beloved dessert? “The best advice I can give is to be fearless when it comes to baking,” says Groth, with a dash of Texas grit. “It’s just cake, after all!”

The Driskill’s 1886 Chocolate Cake

Serves 8–10

• 2¼ cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 2¼ teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup hot water (heat in microwave for 2 minutes)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Measure sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Slowly mix in hot water. Set bowl aside.

Using a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the large bowl. Mix until the batter comes together and is smooth.

Pour batter into 2 greased 10-inch round cake pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes; then remove from pans and place on serving plates to cool to room temperature before adding Chocolate Ganache (see recipe below).

• 2 cups chocolate, roughly chopped (plain dark chocolate bar with 70% cocoa)
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• Optional toppings (such as chocolate shavings, edible gold leaf, or fruit)

Place chocolate in a medium-size heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat cream to a scald (cream should start to bubble up the sides of the saucepan while heating) and pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate has melted. Allow ganache to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Once ganache is set, use an offset spatula to spread it across the top of the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer atop the first layer and finish spreading ganache on top and sides of cake. Optional: Garnish cake with chocolate shavings, edible gold leaf, or fruit of your choice.