Rich Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. square baking pans with parchment; grease the paper. , Place chocolate in a small bowl. Pour hot coffee over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool slightly., In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed until lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, oil, vanilla and the chocolate mixture, beating until well blended. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. , Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For ganache, place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and corn syrup just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir with a whisk until smooth., Let stand at room temperature to cool and thicken slightly, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Mixture will be very soft, but will thicken when spread onto cake.), Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/3 cup ganache. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease two 6-inch pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
• Pour the Devil's Food Cake batter into the prepared pans and bake, as directed, adjusting the cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes for the smaller size.
• While the cakes are cooling, bring the ganache to a workable consistency (about the consistency of peanut butter) by heating it over a double boiler and then allowing it to cool slightly, at room temperature.
• Place the bottom cake layer over a piece of parchment or waxed paper to catch the ganache if it drips when you spread it. (You can reheat the ganache that has dripped and reuse it as desired, as long as it is free of cake crumbs.)
• Spread the ganache about 1/2 inch thick onto the bottom layer and then gently press the second cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of ganache around the sides and top of the cake as a crumb coat and let it set at room temperature. (See Icing a Cake, page 14.)
• Once the crumb coat has set, reheat the ganache, if necessary, just until it is spreadable once again, then finish icing the cake with the ganache.
• While the ganache is still soft enough for the hazelnuts to stick to it, gently press the hazelnuts, one small handful at a time, into the sides of the cake until it is covered. Let the cake set at room temperature for 20 to 40 minutes before serving.
• The cake can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring the cake to room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.
• Polish your look
• By simply changing the flavor of the ganache, this cake can be perfect for all sorts of occasions. Here are some suggestions:
• For an Asian-inspired dinner party, make the ganache with sake instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle the top lightly with mixed black and toasted sesame seeds.
• For anniversaries or other celebratory events, make the ganache with champagne instead of hazelnut liqueur and decorate around the perimeter of the top with rock sugar crystals.
• For holiday cheer, make the ganache with peppermint extract instead of hazelnut liqueur and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• For a not-all-chocolate version, make the ganache with Campari or Grand Marnier instead of hazelnut liqueur and use it only to fill between the two cake layers. Ice the outside with orange Citrus Cream Cheese Icing (page 146) and garnish with candied orange peel.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat, and add chocolate. Stir until melted, then set aside until thickened, 2 to 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep).
• Put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a medium pan with 200g butter.
• Mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan.
• Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g light muscovado sugar, 200g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder, and squash out any lumps.
• Beat 3 medium eggs with 75ml buttermilk.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this into the tin and bake for 1hr 25 - 1hr 30 mins. If you push a skewer into the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit).
• Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut the cold cake horizontally into three.
• To make the ganache, put 200g chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Pour 300ml double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth over any gaps with a palette knife.
• Decorate with 50g grated chocolate or 100g chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 3-inch-high, 7-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Coat parchment with cooking spray, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powders and water; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in sugar until smooth. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt; whisk until combined.
• Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool 20 minutes. Unmold, and remove parchment; let cool.
• Trim tops of cake layers level. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with 1/2 cup ganache frosting. Place remaining layer, cut side down, on top. Coat top and sides with remaining cup frosting. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Put semisweet chocolate, cream, and corn syrup into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and stir until smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Pour over cake, and then refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Using a chef's knife, scrape milk chocolate bar at a 90-degree angle, forming enough curls and shards to measure 1 1/2 cups. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Transfer cake to serving dish; form a nest with chocolate shavings on top, and fill with truffle eggs.