This is a chocolate lover’s dessert, for sure.  Wow! It is so lovely, you’ll want to have seconds.

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. best quality cocoa, plus more for pans
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. boiling water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 1/4 cups sifted CAKE flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
•  Pinch of salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure you have two racks in middle of oven. In two- nine inch cake pans, butter pan bottoms then cover with parchment paper. Butter again and add a dusting of cocoa powder. Make sure all sides and bottom are covered and then tap out excess into a bowl. Sift the cocoa in a bowl and stir in the boiling water until a smooth consistency. Gradually whisk in milk then set aside to cool.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Cream butter until fluffy and gradually add the sugar. Beat in the vanilla and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, alternate the flour mixture with the cocoa mixture, ending with the flour. Divide evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake twenty-five minutes, rotating pan if necessary. Test with a toothpick to ensure it comes out clean. Cool on the racks then remove to the rack to cool, right side up.

Trim tops of the cakes until they are level, and now comes the fun! Making ganache that is whipped for the filling and a ganache glaze that is poured over the cake.

 WHIPPED GANACHE

• 16 oz. bittersweet chocolate
• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream.
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl. Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate and let sit for about fifteen minutes. Stir with a spatula until thoroughly combined. Place in the fridge and stir every five minutes until cool enough to touch. Remove from fridge and whip until it barely begins to hold its shape. If you over mix this, it becomes grainy and worthless. This will continue to thicken after you stop mixing. Use this immediately. Start by putting on a scratch coat on the top and sides of the cake to seal in the crumbs. When smooth, cover with the remaining ganache.

The secret here is to place the rack in a cookie sheet to catch the drips. Place cake in fridge to chill.

 

POURED GANACHE GLAZE

16 oz. bittersweet chocolate

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

Icing sugar to sweeten

Same procedure as with the whipped ganache. When stirred and combined, gently pour over the cake so that it runs down and covers the sides of the cake. Tip the cookie sheet gently to make sure all is covered.  Put the drips back in the bowl and pour again over the cake. Allow to sit for about twenty minutes.

If you can wait, present it to the table before cutting and plating. If not, just cut a slice and pretend not to enjoy so the family won’t touch it. Ha ha ha! Now plate the slices and take to the table.

OMG This is fantastic! One could almost forget the rest of the dinner…almost!