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Chocolate Ganache Cake Recipe

by Louise 20 Comments

This chocolate ganache cake is the ultimate in chocolate luxury and decadence, and it couldn’t be easier to make. This one will certainly impress your guests!

 

You will also need:
6″ cake card (this makes it easier when lifting the ganache cake off the rack)
Baking sheet
Greaseproof paper
Bowl (I prefer metal as it keeps the ganache at the right pouring temperature for longer without setting, but glass/Pyrex works fine).
wooden spoon
Pan of simmering hot water
Spatula
Ladle

Step 1.
Mix all the cake ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and divide mixture between 4 x 6″ sandwich tins, and bake until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Turn out on wire rack to cool.

(TIP: You don’t have to be an expert to make this cake or spend a fortune on cake tins…. I picked these cake tins up from Asda (UK Supermarket, for only 89p each so well worth checking out your local superstore’s baking aisle!).

IMG_5404

Step 2.
Make up the buttercream, by adding the butter, icing sugar and cocoa into a mixer with a little water until smooth. (Always best to add water an eggcup amount at a time as too much with make your buttercream runny and should be a thick but spreadable consistency similar to cream cheese).

Sandwich all the layers together with the buttercream as below, and place on a cake card of the same size, using a little of the buttercream to stick the cake onto the card.

(I actually used plain buttercream  for my cake filling and chocolate buttercream for the crumb coat so it would show up better on the photographs. Should you want a white frosting inside simply omit the cocoa powder from the buttercream when making).
IMG_5446

Step 3.
Using a spatula, cover the whole cake in chocolate buttercream to form the crumb coat starting with the top and then the sides in order to prep the cake for the ganache. Then chill cake in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm.
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Step 4.
While the cake is in the fridge, prepare the ganache. Break the chocolate into the bowl, add the diced butter and place over a pan of simmering (but not boiling) water.
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Whilst beginning to melt, pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling remove from the stove and pour it over the chocolate/butter mix and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
IMG_5437

Once smooth, it should contain no lumps and look glossy (as below). Remove from bowl of simmering water and leave to cool a bit, but so it is still warm and pour-able.

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Step 5.
Take a baking sheet and lay a piece of greaseproof paper over it, followed by a wire cake rack. This stops the whole process getting to messy and also traps the unused ganache.
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Place the cake on top of the rack and using the ladle pour lots of ganache over the top of the cake so that the ganache reaches all the way down and round the sides. You will need to pour several spoonfuls over the top to do this.
IMG_5477

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The benefit of the greaseproof paper is that you can scoop up the remaining ganache for piping once it has firmed up for decorating your cake, (pipe borders etc).

Carefully lift  the cake off the rack using a long spatula or cake lifter (if you have one) and place on a cake stand or plate and leave to set hard. Decorate with fresh whipped cream, ganache, fresh fruit, sugar flowers or however you like! 🙂

IMG_5534

Mmmmmm…….. Delicious.

Happy Caking!

Gillian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. mitch

    September 14, 2014 at 7:27 PM

    Hi i dont have raising flour.. just flour its that okay if i will use flour? And what is golden caster sugar? Is that a brown sugar? and any substitute to double cream? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
  2. sana

    December 8, 2013 at 11:23 AM

    the chocolate you have used in ganash is it cooking dark chocolate or normal cadbury chocolate???

    Reply
  3. Lisa

    November 18, 2013 at 6:55 AM

    This looks so beautiful, and yummy! I would love to have measurement conversions for all of the ingredients so I could try to make this for my family.

    Reply
  4. Shirley

    November 17, 2013 at 10:48 PM

    Beautiful……….

    Reply
  5. Beth

    November 18, 2013 at 3:16 AM

    I need measurement conversions.

    Reply
  6. Mary bruneau

    November 18, 2013 at 1:35 AM

    Hi, I was wondering how you made the ganache roses , and if and how you made the white ones in top of the cake?
    It looks beautiful!

    Reply
  7. Nicki

    May 29, 2013 at 12:28 PM

    I have been looking for a decadent chocolate cake for my partners birthday next week. I love baking and am quite ambitious but all the recipes I have seen have seemed basic and not ‘decadent’ enough ……….. this is perfect. I can’t wait to make this next Monday. Thanks so much Gillian 🙂

    Reply
  8. Gem

    May 27, 2013 at 1:53 PM

    Gosh, that looks amazing! Rich and pretty too. I can’t wait to give it a try 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Abbey

    May 17, 2013 at 2:57 AM

    I love your blog Gillian. Thank you for sharing your passion, talents and skills. And I loooove making chocolate cakes… can’t wait to try this one. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Gillian

    May 4, 2013 at 12:39 PM

    Hope you all enjoy my tutorial! Thanks for your great comments. Gillian x

    Reply
  11. Brooke

    May 4, 2013 at 9:14 AM

    Looks delicious!

    Reply
  12. Joanne

    May 2, 2013 at 6:22 PM

    This looks good, but puzzled to see that you use a wooden spoon. This can make the chocolate seize I thought.

    Reply
    • Gillian

      May 4, 2013 at 12:27 PM

      Hi Joanne,
      I have never had that problem with ganache and a wooden spoon and use one every time. Gillian x

      Reply
  13. Marisa

    May 1, 2013 at 8:03 PM

    Un millón de gracias, por este maravilloso blog,lo visito mucho y me encanta,su buen gusto en todo lo que hace.
    Un abrazo.

    Reply
  14. Louise at Cake and Calico

    May 1, 2013 at 6:37 PM

    Oh my! This is beautiful. What an incredible cake!

    Reply
  15. sandra

    May 1, 2013 at 2:10 AM

    Just tops ,thank you

    Reply
  16. ThisBakerGirlBlogs

    April 30, 2013 at 7:20 PM

    Wow! That looks incredible – love the rose detail on top. Bet it tastes pretty good, too 🙂

    Reply
  17. Lissette

    April 30, 2013 at 2:06 PM

    This cake looks incredibly deliciious, will it hold up well in warm, humid weather? I am thinking about both the buttercream and ganache, where I live any covering with butter or chocolate just melts! Any sugestions, or should I just keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve? Who wants cold cake?

    Reply
    • Gillian

      May 4, 2013 at 12:35 PM

      Hi Lissette,

      Thanks for your comments. This cake is made from butter and dairy cream, therefore if you live in a hot climate (I’m in London so never an issue), you should most definitely keep it in the fridge, and only take it out half an hour before you eat it, to bring it back up to room temperature…… Gillian x

      Reply
  18. Eftychia

    April 30, 2013 at 12:35 PM

    Simply delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

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Kristen is the author of Cake Journal and a graduate of the Professional Baking program at Renton Technical College. She has worked as a pastry chef at a top Seattle restaurant and loves sharing her passion for baking amazing cakes on this site.

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