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Decadent Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 
Servings: 12
Ingredients
  • FOR THE CAKE
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1 1/2 t bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 t salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 t vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • CHOCOLATE GANACHE
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 2/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM (To sandwich the two layers together and for crumb layer over cake and around the sides)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups icing sugar , sifted
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF.
  2. Grease and line with paper 2 x 8in baking pans. Try to use solid pans and not the springform ones as the mixture is very liquid and may pour out of the pan whilst baking.
  3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
  5. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.
  6. Stir in boiling water. Please note the mixture is very runny.
  7. Pour into prepared baking pans.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
  9. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing onto a wire rack.
  10. FOR THE BUTTERCREAM
  11. Beat butter until soft and fluffy.
  12. Add the icing sugar, cocoa, milk and essence and beat until evenly mixed, light and smooth.
  13. Spread the icing over the one layer of cake and sandwich the two layers together.
  14. Spread the icing over the cake and around the sides with a metal or plastic palette knife.
  15. Keep this layer to a minimal even if some of the cake is showing through. You just want the cake to have enough icing over it to stop the ganache from soaking in when you pour it over.
  16. CHOCOLATE GANACHE (not your usual ganache)
  17. In a pot melt the butter slowly and stir in the cocoa.
  18. Sift the icing sugar into the chocolate mixture and add the milk, whisking so that a nice pouring consistency forms. If this gets too thick just heat it up again and it will become running.
  19. Allow to cool slightly so that it does not melt the buttercream that is already on the cake.
  20. Line a baking tray with baking/greaseproof paper and place a baking rack on top. (This is to collect the excess ganache when you pour it over the cake.
  21. Take the cake out of the fridge and place it on a rack .
  22. Pour the lukewarm ganache over the cake and allow to coat the sides of the cake. If the ganache is too hot it will melt the buttercream/crumb layer.