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  • Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream & Ganache

    by Maria on January 17, 2012

    Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream & Ganache
    I went a bit overboard with this cake… Chocolate cake with butter cream & ganache! There’s a reason… it’s our wedding anniversary :) Baking a cake is not part of our anniversary tradition. It very much depends on my mood. Anyways, this year I thought I’ll be a bit extravagant with the cake ;) After the cake was done, I was impatiently waiting for Jose to come home from office, so that we could cut it. Got the cake from the fridge, got the knife and was waiting to hear the wonderful things about the cake. Here it comes… “is this cake tilted?” Ohh yes… that’s what he notices first, not the roses, not the hearts but the ’tilting’ of the cake. But then… I was expecting this, after all some things never change ;)

    People say marriage is one adventurous journey with both smooth drives and bumpy roads. We’ve also had our share of dramas and ups and downs. At times we drive each other crazy, at times we make each other laugh our hearts out and most importantly we make each other happy! That matters the most to me.

    Now about the cake, it tasted great (if I should say so myself). I should say the chance of a moist chocolate cake slathered with butter cream & ganache going wrong, is almost next to impossible. It all tastes good, on their own, so you can imagine how it tastes when it’s put together :) I got the cake recipe from my dearest friend & neighbor Sonia. This cake is super moist, I think my ultra moist chocolate cake has a strong competition now. Thanks a lot Sonia for sharing this wonderful recipe with me. The butter cream recipe is adapted from here. Dont get scared by the length of the recipe, its pretty simple to put together, trust me.

    Btw, here is a step by step pictures of making the cake:

         

    Moist Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream & Ganache
    Print
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Author: Maria Jose
    Prep time: 25 mins
    Cook time: 30 mins
    Total time: 55 mins
    Serves: 8
    Ingredients
    • For the cake
    • Plain Flour (Maida) – 1 3/4 cups
    • Sugar – 2 cups
    • Cocoa powder – 3/4 cup
    • Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp
    • Baking soda – 1 1/2 tsp
    • Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
    • Eggs – 2 (room temp)
    • Oil – 1 cup (I used sunflower)
    • Boiling water – 1 cup
    • Milk – 1 cup ( I used room temp)
    • For Chocolate Buttercream
    • Unsalted butter – 1 cup (226 gms), softened
    • Icing sugar – 3 1/2 – 4 cups
    • Cocoa powder – 1/2 cup
    • Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
    • Whole milk/ whipping cream – 4 tbsp
    • For Ganache
    • Whipping/heavy cream – 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp
    • Chocolate chips – 3/4 cup ( you can use baking chocolate also)
    • For Sugar syrup
    • Sugar – 1/3 cup
    • Water – 1/3 cup
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven @180 C, 10 mins before baking.
    2. Mix together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder & baking soda. In a deep vessel, mix together essence, eggs, oil, boiling water & milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & mix with a hand whisk or a wooden spoon, till the batter is mixed well.
    3. Pour into a greased baking tin lined with parchment paper or cupcake tin lined with cupcake liners. Bake in the preheated oven till the tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Baking time is given in the notes.
    4. Butter Cream Preparation
    5. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
    6. Ganache Preparation
    7. Heat the whipping/heavy cream till small bubbles start appearing around the edges. Switch off the gas. Add chocolate chips to the cream & let it rest for 5 mins. After 5 mins, whisk till it becomes smooth.
    8. Sugar Syrup Preparation
    9. Mix together water & sugar. Heat it till the sugar dissolves & let it boil. Remove from fire. Let it cool completely.
    10. Assembling of the cake
    11. The cake has to be cooled completely before icing. I cut each cake into two layers, to have a four layered cake. Place one of the cut cakes on a cake board & brush it with sugar syrup, make sure the entire cake is brushed. Place some butter cream on top of it & spread using a spatula. Repeat the process till all the layers are used. After the top layer is placed is covered with buttercream, apply the butter cream around the sides as well. Once this is done, keep the cake in the fridge for 20-30 mins. Make the ganache in the meanwhile & let it cool & thicken a bit.
    12. Take the cake from the fridge & cover it with ganche. Decorate as per your liking. Return the cake to the fridge.
    13. Keep the cake @ room temp for 20 mins, before serving.
    Notes

    For the cake shown in the pic, I made only half the qty of the above recipe. Got two 7 inch round cakes. I baked the cakes @ 180 C for 30 mins.

    The cupcakes will be ready in 15 mins. I’ve got 3 dozens standard size cupcakes with the quantity mentioned above.

    Icing notes: Since I wanted to keep aside some icing for decoration, I added cocoa powder only in the end. Pour the ganche over the cake, only after the butter cream is set. To know whether the cream is set, touch it with your finger and see whether the cream is sticking, if not, its ready.

    I kept the butter cream covered cake on a wire rack and placed a sheet of al.foil under it. I poured the ganache over the cake. Do the decorations on the cake, when ganche is half set.

    You can store the frosted the cake in refrigerator for 2 days. The plain cake can be stored @ room temp, in an air tight container for 3-4 days.

     

     

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    About Maria Jose Martin

    MariasMenu is a popular food blog written by Maria Jose with its no nonsense simple, tasty and delicious recipes – all tried and tested by readers, family and friends alike. Read more about Maria and her venture.

    • Aarthi V

      this is such a awesome recipe

      Aarthi
      http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/

    • Sajna

      Brilliant.. as usual!!! And I hope you had a very very happy anniversary!

      Pssttt… mine’s coming up next week! 1st anniversary! And I’m sooooper excited :D :D

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks dear Saj! how are you? so what plans for your 1st anniversary? I’m sure you will be excited to plan the whole thing, have fun!

        Wish you both a very happy anniversary in advance!

        Take care,
        Maria

        • Sajna

          Haven’t decided yet! First thought of a party, pinne thought vendannu.. coz party would be fun if we were in India, not here in this snow country! So i guess it will be just us and some good food!!! :D And thank you :)

    • http://www.swapnascuisine.com/ Swapna

      Happy Wedding Anniversary Maria……Wish you many more years of happiness.. Beautiful cake :)

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks a lot dear :)

    • http://manjooos.blogspot.com/ manju

      thats really lovely and tempting cake..wish to grab one slice of it..Happy anniversery!!!!

    • http://profiles.google.com/gayathri.ramdas Gayathri Ramdas Sreekanth

      Hi Maria..!! From the time I ve seen this pic, I cant stop staring at it, I keep coming back to the page whenever I get online to just appreciate those perfect flower piping..Haha..I can so relate to how you felt when Jose said that..you put in all the effort in the world to get the most perfect cake/dish and alas ! one comment changes it..guess that’s why you are where you are now..without his criticism , maybe Maria’s menu wouldn’t have been this :-) Wishing you both years and years of happiness and good health together !!

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks a lot my dear! You are too kind with your feedback sweetie :) Yeah he does that at times just to bug me ;) Anyways, as you’ve said I’ll not be doing this without his help n let’s say +ve feedback ;)

        Thanks again for your wishes.

        Take care,
        Maria

    • Christy Gerald

      Temptingly Delicious Bake Maria!.Choco.Cake luks Awesomely Yumm n Moist.

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you so much Christy!

    • Simi Roshan

      The cake luks vry romantic:-))))))))Jus perfect 4 ur anniversary!!!! Jose is so lucky 2 hv u as his life partner!!!Wishing u bth a VERY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY filled wth more luv nd joy!!!!!

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you so much Simi! I’ve to show your comment to Jose ;)

        Cheers
        Maria

    • http://ramyasrecipe.blogspot.com/ Ramya

      Happy anniversary Maria…Ur cake looks lovely and so romantic. Jose must be so used to seeing ur perfect cakes, thats why he noticed the tilt first…husbands do behave like that at times when we are waiting for them to appreciate our efforts :-) happens to everyone i believe …anyways, wishing you many more happy years together

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks a bunch Ramya :) I know that just want to irritate us a bit before saying something nice ;)

        Cheers
        Maria

    • Oyciee

      Morning Maria,

      Wishing you a very happy anniversary, may you and your hubby be always blessed with good health and peace of mind.

      As usual I am drooling over here looking at the pictures, your way of writing and presentation of the dishes is just superb.

      Keep pouring more of the dishes in the year 2012.

      With love and hugs,

      Cynthia (Kuwait)

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Hi Cynthia,

        Hope you are doing good. Thank you for your wishes dear!

        Wish you a wonderful year ahead!

        Take care,
        Maria

    • http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/ Lubna Karim

      Belated wishes for u r anniversary dear…..love the cake…i totally agree with u on baking cake depends on mood….there r people like me who has not notice the tilt…after reading the post only i checked it again…lovely deco to the cake…

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks a lot Lubna :)

    • Preethi

      Many many happy returns of the day Maria and Jose……May the almighty bless you with many many years of togetherness, fights, lots and lots of love and much, much more……And about the cake,…..I am droooooling!!! 

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Hi Preethi,

        Thanks a ton for your lovely wishes dear! Hope you and your family are doing good. Wish you all a wonderful year ahead!

        Take care,
        Maria

    • Juvariashifaz

      woooowww heaven…. it luks awsome ,,, btwn wishing u a very happy anniversary to u nd ur hubbyy….. :D

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you Juvaria :)

    • Nidha

      Happy Anniversary Maria..Glad to know that we share the anniversary date..
      Loving the recipe.. n d picture.. so beautifully done…Cheers….

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks Nidha! Belated anniversary wishes to you too.. Hope you had a great day!

        Cheers
        Maria

    • liz

      happy anniversary!Lord bless u with all your desires of your heart……….

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you very much Liz for your wishes :)

    • Maria

      Happy Anniversary Maria…:-)  The cake is gud..  hope u both had gr8 time…..

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks Maria :) Yep, we had a lovely time :)

    • Bindu

      Happy Anniversary Maria….. and your cake looks too good!!!!!!!!

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you Bindu!

    • Ancy

      Wishes for a wonderful year ahead to both of you! 
      Beautiful cake Maria. I kept thinking its someones’s anniversary in Jan, it must have been yours…:) 

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks Ancy dear :)

    • Shabysajid

      Very Nice cake Maria. I coudn’t stop laughing at Jose’s comments, not because ur cake is tilted, but I would get the same response from saj too when I expect the best of things!LOL. It used to make me sad initially, but now I love such criticisms. Only they will point out our mistakes and only thru mistakes we can perfect things. What say Maria kutti? So always take it postively when wen dear hubby points out at little erors.

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        yep I know dear…. and he always likes to say something like that before saying good things, just to irritate me ;) I really dont mind it.

    • Anne

      I am very happy that i found this blog but i wish you were somewhere here in Canada.Lol. I am in love with all your recipies, I truly am. I am going to try this cake on Feb 8th (hopefully i won’t mess up with this beautiful cake) as it’s my very first anniversary as well.

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Hi Anne,

        I’m also happy that you found this little space :) Thanks a bunch for your comment.

        Wish you a very happy anniversary in advance! First anniversary is always special :) Have a great day!

        Cheers
        Maria

    • Anonymous

      A very happy anniversary to both of you. May you guys have all the happiness in the world..! Sorry am late,  But you have all the best wishes coming your way..!

      My event-
      Valentines Day Special

    • Tina Sanil

      Happy Wedding Anniversary Maria !!
      GOD BLESS

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks dear :)

    • Sapna

      The cake looks lovely Maria.Wishing you both a belated happy wedding anniversary.

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks a lot Sapna :)

    • Limcybinu

      hi Maria!
      tried your cake yst…t’was great! love the rich chocolatey flavour!! i was wondering if I could make a vanilla cake with the choc cream & ganache for my 3 yr old’s b’day….what do you think?

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Hi Limcy,

        Thanks a lot for trying this cake dear! I think you can try for vanilla cake also. But make sure to moisten the cake well with the sugar syrup. Vanilla cake tends to become dry once kept in the fridge, unless it is well moistened.

        Happy baking! Wish your little one a very happy b’day!

        Please do let me know if you try the vanilla version, thanks.

        Cheers
        Maria

        • Limcy

          Maria, instaed of the vanilla cake, i decided to go in for a banana cake… with the cream & ganache as per your recipe…i followed your advice to moisten it well……it turned out great & friends appreciated it loads…. :)

          • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

            Hi Limcy,

            Great to know that your cake turned out well and you got many compliments :)

            Cheers
            Maria

    • Dranumarygeorge

      Happy Anniversary Maria…………..Heard a lot about you from my dad in Law and from my husband. Love your recipes…….Good to know you are enjoying yourself cooking!!!! Have a blast!! Planning to try your baking recipes a sI love to bake! Do put up recipes on pies and quiches if you have any.

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thanks Anu chechy :) Hope Philip uncle, Anil chettan & kids are doing good.

        Hope you get to try the baking recipes sometime. I’ll try to post quiche/pies recipe also :)

        Take care,
        Maria

    • ReshmaNair

      Very belated anniversary wishes.Tried the cake,it was very gud.I didnt make layered one but did the icing and ganache on one single cake i made out of half qty.Kids loved it… Thks a lottt and keep going.Today will try pepper chicken..

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Thank you Reshma for the wishes and also for the comment :) Nice to know that your kids liked it. Hope you like the pepper chicken too..

        Cheers
        Maria

    • Anitha

      hai maria,
              Made this cake for Valentines day and it came out so well.thank u so much.i have made simple cakes before but this is the first time i am preparing one with cream,ganache etc..i was not that confident,but it was so yum.thank u so much dear..here is the pic of my cake… 

      • http://mariasmenu.com Maria Jose

        Hi Anitha,

        Your cake looks awesome! I’m really happy to know that you liked this cake :) Btw, I’ve shared this photo in MariasMenu FB page also. You can see it in the reader’s section photos.

        Cheers
        Maria

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