Ever think you could bake a beautiful celebration cake on the grill? You can, and it’s easier than you think! Here we’ve made a chocolate cake with a hint of coffee flavor, topped off with fresh berries, but you can make any type of cake you like. Make sure to choose grill-safe metal pans – we’ve used 9” round – rather than glass or ceramic to avoid your pans shattering.
Makes: 1 - 9" round cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for preparing pans
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup brewed coffee
- Butter, for greasing the pans
Topping Ingredients:
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup blueberries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare your grill for indirect grilling at about 375 degrees with the lid closed. For instance, on a 3-burner grill, turn the outside burners on, but leave the middle burner completely off.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a stand mixer, mix buttermilk, coconut oil, eggs, vanilla, brown sugar and coffee until combined, and then slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Lightly spread a layer of butter around the two 9” round pans and dust with flour, then divide the cake batter equally between the two pans.
- Arrange the pans as fully over the indirect heat as possible, using the top rack if needed. Note this layer may take a few extra minutes to bake.
- Bake on 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
- While the cakes bake, make the chocolate ganache.Heat the chocolate pieces and heavy whipping cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth, whisking lightly as the chocolate melts. Allow to cool for the remainder of the baking time and as the cakes cool, for a thicker ganache.
- Carefully remove cakes and allow to cool for 15 minutes, then invert on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Assemble the layer cake by spreading some of the ganache on the top of the first cake, place the second cake over it, then top with the remaining ganache and berries.