Chocolate Fantasy Cake With Chocolate Ganache Icing Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't overbeat, or the cake will be tough.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Don't overbake! Let cool thoroughly in the pan.
• For the ganache, cook the heavy cream, chocolate chips, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.
• Place the cake upside down on a wire rack and pour the glaze evenly over the top, making sure to cover the entire cake and sides. You can tilt the rack to smooth the glaze. Decorate with candied violets, if desired, or gently crumble the gold leaf and place it on the center of the cake. Do not refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper rounds. Butter parchment; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool, then whisk in chocolate. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (or muffin tins lined with paper liners); smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes (18 to 20 minutes for cupcakes).
• Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Re-invert cakes; let cool completely, top sides up.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to level. Transfer a cake layer to a cake turntable or platter to frost. Using an offset spatula, spread 3/4 cup frosting on top. Set remaining cake layer into place.
• Spread remaining frosting over entire cake, swirling to coat. Serve immediately, or cover with a cake dome and refrigerate; let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
• Combine buttermilk and eggs in another bowl and add melted chocolate mixture. Beat into flour mixture on low speed for 1 minute; increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until it thickens and is smooth. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate and spread with a layer of ganache frosting. Lay the second layer on top and use remaining ganache frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9" springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust with flour.
• In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and stir occasionally until smooth and creamy.
• Remove from heat.
• Separate the eggs.
• In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks together with the sugar and vanilla until thick, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice, for about 3 minutes.
• In a third bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff, for about two minutes.
• Slowly and gently fold the chocolate into the yolk mixture, adding just a little chocolate at a time to keep the eggs from scrambling.
• Fold in the egg whites.
• Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake in the center of the oven until spongy; for about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, remove the springform ring and place the cake on a rack to cool completely.
• When the cake is cool, prepare the icing as follows.
• In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Don't let the mixture boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Use immediately or store, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 24 hours.
• Reheat in the top of a double boiler.
• To serve, spread the chocolate ganache icing over the cake.
• Top with raspberries or strawberries rolled in sugar and serve a small wedge of cake with a dollop of whipped cream (and a BAM of powdered sugar looks lovely as well).
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• To make the cake:.
• Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch cake pan with non-stick spray. Line with parchment paper. Spray parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
• Place butter and cocoa powder in medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; stir. Let stand 2 minutes; whisk until blended. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and coarse salt in another medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in another large bowl. Gradually whisk cocoa mixture into buttermilk mixture; whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, whisking to blend between additions (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around pan edges to release cake. Invert onto rack; remove pan and parchment. Cool completely.
• To make the Ganache:.
• Place chocolate and cream in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Stir in butter. Let stand until spreadable, about 30 minutes. Spread over top and sides of cake. Chill 2 hours or up to 1 day.
• To make the Praline:.
• Stir first 3 ingredients in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat until butter melts. Boil 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar and vanilla. Add pecans; stir just to incorporate. Quickly pour praline mixture over cake. Spread just to edges (topping sets very quickly).
• Can be made a day ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Coat two 9 by 2-inch cake pans with butter and coat each with 1 Tablespoon sugar.
• -------------For the cake--------------.
• In a large mixing bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, combine eggs and 1 cup of sugar.
• Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume, about 8 minutes.
• In a separate mixing bowl sift together the cocoa, flour, and baking powder.
• Fold cocoa mixture into the egg mixture to combine completely, until mixture is smooth.
• Divide cake batter evenly into two cake pans.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched.
• Cool cakes for 15 minutes.
• Loosen cakes from pans and unmold onto wire rack.
• Cool to room temperature.
• -------------For the pudding-------------------.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the cream with the cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to make a paste.
• Combine the paste with remaining 3 1/2 cups cream, sugar, chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large nonstick saucepan.
• Using a wire whisk, stir the mixture until it is well blended.
• Over low heat, whisk cream mixture until chocolate melts thoroughly.
• Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until it becomes very thick, about 25 minutes.
• Pour pudding into a large bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap, covering surface of pudding with the plastic to prevent a skin from forming.
• Let cool to room temperature.
• ----------------To assemble the cake----------------.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it.
• Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally.
• Brush the tops of three layers each with 1/4 cup of the Grand Marnier.
• Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding evenly on top of the layer.
• Top with a second layer of cake.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of pudding evenly over it.
• Repeat for the third layer.
• Top with the fourth layer.
• Chill in the refridgerator for 2 hours.
• ----------------For the ganache-------------.
• In a medium-sized nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat cream just under boiling point.
• Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate.
• With a whisk, stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
• Pour ganache over the top of chilled cake, allowing overflow to drip down the sides.
• Cool slightly.
• Carefully remove the cake from the wire rack.
• Chill for at least 6 hours.
• -----------For the garnish-------------.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, add 3-inches of water.
• Boil water and reduce to a simmer.
• Place semisweet chips in a stainless steel bowl and place bowl over simmering water.
• Stir chocolate until melted to a smooth consistency.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread melted chocolate evenly across sheet.
• Chill in refrigerator until set, about 1 hour.
• Break the chocolate into large shard-like pieces.
• Place chocolate shards on top of the cake vertically at various angles.
• Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• grease and flour pans. Combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 Cup boiling water. (batter will be thin) Pour into pans. Bake 30 minutes at about 350. cool and freeze cake.
• For the chocolate ganache frosting: combine chocolate chips and heated whipping cream and stir until smooth. Put over the frozen cake and the ganache will set faster. Store in the fridge.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition.
• Pour into three greased and floured 9" round baking pans.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For Ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl.
• In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil.
• Pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth.
• Refrigerate for 35-45 minutes or until ganache begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• For frosting, in a large mixing bowl beat butter until fluffy.
• Add confectioners sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup of frosting.
• Top with second layer and one cup ganache and sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds.
• Top with third layer, frost top and sides of cake.
• Warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to drape down the sides.
• Sprinkle with remaining almonds.
• Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Butter parchment; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk cocoa with hot water until smooth. Whisk in sour cream; let cool. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each; scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two parts, alternating with cocoa mixture and beginning and ending with flour; beat until combined.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off parchment. Turn cakes over; let cool completely, topside up. Transfer half of Chocolate Ganache (3 1/2 cups) to clean bowl of an electric mixer; set aside remaining. Let cool completely, stirring frequently, about 40 minutes. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until ganache holds soft peaks, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to make level. Transfer one of the layers to a cake turntable or platter, and spread top with 1 1/2 cups whipped ganache. Top with remaining layer, cut side down, and spread remaining whipped ganache in a thin layer over entire cake, covering completely. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer cake to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour reserved ganache over top, letting it run down the sides. If necessary, use a large offset spatula to spread from the center toward the edges, so that the cake is evenly and completely covered. Refrigerate until ganache has just begun to set, about 30 minutes. Transfer cake to a serving plate. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered with a cake dome, for up to 2 days.