Chocolate Cake With Salted Basil Ganache Recipes

SALTED DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 8-inch round cake tins with parchment paper. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, dark chocolate and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. (You may need to use a spatula to start, but use a whisk once the ingredients begin to combine.) Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• Make the ganache: Place the sour cream and melted chocolate in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes or until firm. Place 1 of the cakes on a cake stand or plate. Spread with half the ganache. Top with the remaining cake and ganache. Sprinkle with the salt to serve.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

Steps:

• Bring the heavy whipping cream to a gentle boil and pour it over the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Set it aside for one minute.
• Whisk the two ingredients until it's all combined. Next, add the softened butter and whisk until your ganache becomes homogenous.
• Cover the bowl with cling film and set it aside for a couple of hours before assembling. A rested ganache gives the best texture for spreading!
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of two 9" round baking pans with parchment paper and grease the sides with baking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Set it aside.
• In a separate, large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar. Gradually add oil and whisk until it's all combined. Add the milk, coffee, and vanilla extract, gently whisking with every addition
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk until it's all combined. The batter will be light and fairly runny; that's totally normal.
• Transfer batters to the prepared pans. Bake in the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Finally, allow an additional 40-45 minutes of cooling; the cakes should be at room temperature before assembling.
• Slice a bit off the top of each cake to remove the domes and even the cakes out.
• Place a large dollop of the ganache into the center of the first cake and spread it out using an offset spatula.
• Carefully place the second cake over the top, crumb-side down.
• Spread the remaining ganache over the top and the sides.
• Top your cake off with fresh berries or your favorite cake topping! Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE GANACHE CAKE

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.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH SWISS BUTTERCREAM AND GANACHE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Put the cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the sour cream until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 additions. Finish mixing gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the pans against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until the cakes spring back in the center when gently pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges and turn out the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• Make the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the saucepan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water); cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, the egg whites are frothy and the mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and the mixture cools to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time, waiting for them to incorporate before adding more. (The mixture will become liquidy, then it will get thick and shiny once the butter emulsifies. It may also look curdled as you add the butter. It's OK: Keep adding butter and beating.) Add the vanilla and beat until combined and fluffy, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 2/3 cup frosting on top, then repeat with the remaining cake layers, spreading more frosting in between them. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat - it doesn't have to be perfect), then refrigerate until the frosting sets, about 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it with a bench scraper.
• Make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside until cool but still pourable, 20 to 40 minutes (the time will vary depending on the temperature and bowl). Pour the ganache on top of the cake and spread with a small offset spatula, letting it drip down the sides. Let the ganache set 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH SALTED BASIL GANACHE

Steps:

• CAKE: Melt chocolate and butter with basil over water bath. Meanwhile, whisk whites until soft peaks and add in sugar and whisk until stiff peaks. When chocolate has melted, let cool for one minute.
• Set a bowl strainer over the yolks and push chocolate through with spatula. Whisk chocolate and yolks together to combine and fold in whites. Spray 1/4 sheet with oil cooking spray and add in butter. Bake at 350 degrees approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.
• FILLING: Whisk all ingredients together.
• GANACHE: Heat cream with basil. Strain and whisk into chocolate. Season with salt.
• LEMON REDUCTION: Reduce ingredients together until syrupy.
• POMEGRANATE REDUCTION: Reduce ingredients to syrupy consistency and strain.

DARK-CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans; dust with cocoa, tapping out excess. Line bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in chocolate and vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk in two, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes; run a knife around edge of each pan, and invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Set a rimmed baking sheet upside down on a work surface. Place one cake on sheet, and spread top with 1/3 of ganache. Place second cake on top, and spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Using two wide metal spatulas, carefully transfer frosted cake to a serving platter.