CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE
There’s nothing more satisfying than a homemade chocolate cake that is so rich in flavor it melts in your mouth with every bite. This cake is moist, dark and incredibly decadent! It is the classic chocolate cake recipe you’ve always been searching for courtesy of Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa herself.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
1 and 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, or yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
3/4 cup hot coffee or boiling water
Ganache:
1 1/2 cups chocolate (semi-sweet, dark, or milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence - optional
3/4 cup heavy cream
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 175°C
2. Grease a bundt pan with softened butter, flour or baking spray and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix using a hand-held electric mixer.
4. In a medium bowl combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla with a whisk. You can make buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon or white vinegar to 1 cup of fresh milk and letting it stand for 5 minutes.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Then slowly add the coffee or boiling water while continuing to mix using the hand-held electric mixer.
6. Pour the cake batter into the bundt pan, and bake for 40 minutes. You can check the doneness of the cake by inserting a toothpick or running a sharp knife around the edges to see if it loosens easily.
7. Let it cool completely before flipping it.
8. Once the cake is flipped, allow it to continue cooling and keep it covered so it remains moist and fresh.
9. For the ganache, in a microwave safe bowl, add the heavy cream and place in the microwave for about a minute.
10. Add the chocolate to the bowl, and let it sit for 30 seconds to a minute before beginning to mix. Whisk very well until the chocolate is melted completely and a smooth mixture is formed.
11. Add the vanilla essence for extra sweetness, if you want, or you can leave it as it is. Allow the ganache to cool for about 10 minutes before drizzling over the cake.
12. The cake should be at room temperature before adding the ganache. Once you drizzle the ganache over the cake, allow it to set for about 15-30 minutes before slicing into the cake.
13. You can keep the cake covered and stored at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
Notes:
You can use yogurt or sour cream instead of buttermilk, if you prefer.
The reason we add hot liquid to the cake is to allow the cocoa powder to bloom, which gives the cake a more rich chocolate flavor.
You may top the cake with caramel drizzle, pecan nuts or walnuts for garnish, or simply sprinkle with some powdered sugar as an alternative to the ganache.
