Special-Occasion Chocolate Cake
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 40 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling
YIELD: 16 servings.
This recipe won Grand Champion at the Alaska State Fair, and with just one bite, you'll see why! The decadent chocolate cake boasts a luscious ganache filling and fudge buttercream frosting. —Cindi DeClue, Anchorage, Alaska
Ingredients
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1 cup baking cocoa
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2 cups boiling water
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1 cup butter, softened
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2-1/4 cups sugar
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4 large eggs, room temperature
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1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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GANACHE:
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10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
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1 cup heavy whipping cream
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2 tablespoons sugar
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FROSTING:
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1 cup butter, softened
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4 cups confectioners' sugar
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1/2 cup baking cocoa
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1/4 cup 2% milk
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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GARNISH:
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3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Directions
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1.
Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside to cool completely. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition.
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2.
Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
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3.
For ganache, place chocolate in a bowl. In a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth. Allow to cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency, stirring occasionally.
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4.
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat until smooth.
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5.
Place the first cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with the second layer and 1 cup ganache; sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Top with the third layer; frost top and sides of cake. Warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to flow down the side. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Refrigerate until serving.
Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 736 calories, 39g fat (22g saturated fat), 125mg cholesterol, 454mg sodium, 86g carbohydrate (63g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.
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