Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting and Raspberries

Raspberries are the perfect match for chocolaty yummies. And definitely one of the best partner in crime for chocolate cakes.

I Baked this layered cake for a friend whom I really respect and appreciate. An ex-colleague who is my pillar of strength, teaches me a lot about life and how to be a better person.

A rather last minute bake and thankfully it turned out rather well.

The Dark Chocolate Cakes makes two 8-inch cakes

140g sugar
140 g all-purpose flour
60 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Hershley’s)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup hot coffee

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160° C. Prepare the 2 cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a mixer bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and    baking soda. Mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the beaten egg, vegetable oil, and milk. Stir well till mix.
4. With the mixer on low, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix on low until evenly distributed.
5. Pour the hot coffee into the batter gradually and mix on medium low until smooth.
6. Divide the batter between 2 cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes. When a toothpick inserted  at the centre of the cupcake comes out cleanly, the cakes are baked.
7. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting  enough for a two-tier six-inch cake

227 g bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
180 ml heavy cream
28 g unsalted butter
1 tbsp rum or other liqueur

Method

1. Place  the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl.  Set aside.
2. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. (The cream and butter can also be heated in the microwave.)
3. Bring just to a  boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and  allow to stand, without stirring, for a few minutes.
4. Stir gently (as  you do not want to incorporate air into the ganache) with a spoon or  whisk until smooth
5. Add the liqueur and stir till well-mixed.
6. Place in the fridge for 45 minutes to allow it to set.

  

Assemble

1. If the cake you are covering needs to be refrigerated, first chill the cake. (This will ensure that the ganache will not lose its shine  when the cake is stored in the refrigerator. Make sure each cake is levelled.
2. Crumb Coat – First, pour the ganache in between the two cakes and brush any loose crumbs from the cakes. Using a cake spatula or knife, cover the sides and top of the cakes with a thin layer of ganache.
3. Refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes or until the crumb coat has set. Then pour the ganache in the centre of the cake on top.
4. Working quickly, spread the ganache with a  large metal spatula or knife, using big strokes to push the ganache  over the sides of the cake.
5. If there are any bare spots on the sides of the cake, cover with  ganache.
6. Let the ganache set in the fridge for 15 minutes.
7. Decorate the cake with raspberries

Before setting in the fridge. Simply love the shine of the ganache.

Was really glad that my mentor like the cake.

Love how the end product looked. The contrasting colours and the flavours.

A suitable cake for celebrations.