Devil's Food Cake (from William Sonoma's Cake Book)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped and melted (I used bittersweet)
1 cup low fat or nonfat buttermilk at room temperature
Directions
1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F. Butter two 9 inch round layer cake pans. Line the pans with parchment (baking) paper. Butter the paper, sprinkle lightly with flour, then tap out the extra flour.
2. Suspend a fine mesh sieve over a small bowl and add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Lightly tap the rim of the sieve to encourage the ingredients to pass into the bowl.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and both sugars. Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer with the twin beaters. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and airy and lightens in color, about 2 minutes. If using a handheld mixer, move the beaters around the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides o the bowl. After all the eggs have been added, add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute longer. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until the mixture is a uniform color. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredient in 3 batches alternately with the buttermilk in 2 batches, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing each addition until incorporated before adding the next.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes. If the cakes look set, insert a thin skewer or toothpick in the center. If it comes out dry, the cakes are done. If it comes out wet with crumbs clinging to it, continue to bake until they test done. Using pot holders, transfer cakes to a wire rack. Let cool for 15 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache
From Rose Levy Berenbaum
Ingredients: 12 ounces chocolate (I used semisweet)
1 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
I watched the below video to learn how to make ganache.
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Coffee Syrup: In a small saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup granulated sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot. Stir in 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder and let cool.
To Assemble, brush 3 tablespoons coffe syrip onto the top of each cake layer (you don't need to split them). Then spread the ganache over 1 cake layer and place the second layer on top. Use the frosting to frost the rest of the cake and serve.
This is the first time I have ever made a ganache. Since it is my first time, I thought learning some about ganaches would be appropriate. Ganache is a cream and chocolate mixture. Chocolate is chopped finely and then almost boiling heavy cream is poured on top of the chocolate. The two are then mixed together. Different ratios of cream and chocolate can make various frostings and fillings. A one to one ratio of cream and chocolate creates a light filling. A one part cream and two parts chocolate ratio creates a truffle filling. While a one part cream and three parts chocolate ratio makes a glaze or coating. A The taste of the ganache is dependent upon the type of chocolate you use to make it. AKA the better the chocolate...the better your ganache will taste. Ganache is thought to have been invented in the mid-1800s. It is up for debate as to which country ganache is from; France and Switzerland both claim it as their own. Regardless of its origins, ganache has become extremely popular since its invention. I hope you enjoy making your first ganache too. My first experience with ganache will be discussed in further detail below.
Overall, this cake was a 4 out of 5 stars. Enjoyable and tasty! Almost the entire cake was finished by the 15 people that attended the party. The cake was slightly denser than I would have liked. This is most likely my fault for not sifting the flour. I actually used cake flour for this recipe for the first time ever too and I don't know whether it made a difference. In addition, I wish the cake was a little moister. The coffee syrup between the layers was excellent. No one could tell that there was a coffee taste, but the coffee syrup really brought out the richness of the chocolate. On to the ganache... hmm... well first off, Rose's ganache wasn't the first one I tried. I first tried the William Sonoma Cake book's ganache. It somehow separated into a oily, buttery, disgusting mess. I was a little frustrated with the fact that I wasted nice chocolate making this particular disaster of a ganache. (I am not at all bitter! :) ) I then scoured the internet for how to make a ganache. By golly, I wasn't going to screw it up the second time... chocolate is expensive. I closely watched the video of Rose Berenbaum online and decided that I would go for it again. (I am not a quitter :)) Success came the second time. The ganache almost tasted like pure chocolate to me. It was excellent and looked appropriate. I am still not sold on using a ganache as frosting 100%...it is a little like biting into a candy bar, but it looks so sophisticated that I may not be able to resist including it in my future baking adventures. Enjoy making this cake! It is a winner! :)
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