Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Recipe No: 288
This was the cake I made for the Valentine’s Day… The Cake together with frosting has a deep, rich Chocolate flavor, but the cake alone is very mild and on the less sweet side. I personally prefer the Cake alone with a light dusting of Powdered Sugar on top but as it was for an occasion, I dressed it up with this Chocolate Ganache.

Ingredients                              Makes one 8 inch Cake
For the Cake

• Cocoa Powder………………....1/4 Cup
• Instant Coffee Powder……...1 Teaspoon
• Boiling Water…………………..1 Cup
• All purpose Flour/ Maida….1 Cup
• Baking Powder…………………1/4 Teaspoon
• Baking Soda…………………….3/4 Teaspoon
• Salt…………………………………a pinch (Avoid if using salted Butter)
• Unsalted Butter……………….1/2 Cup/ 1 Stick
• Sugar………………………………1 ¼ Cup
• Eggs……………………………..…2
• Vanilla Essence………………..1 Teaspoon

For Chocolate Ganache

• Semisweet Chocolate Chips…7 oz/ 1 cup
• Instant Coffee Powder………..1/8 Teaspoon
• Heavy Cream…………………….1/2 Cup
• Vanilla Essence/ Extract…….1/2 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation
To Make the Cake

1. Dissolve Cocoa Powder and Coffee Powder in the Boiling Water and keep aside till it cools to room temperature.
2. Sift together Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt well; keep aside till ready to be used.
3. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/ 180˚C.
4. Keep an 8 inch baking pan (I used a heart shaped pan) ready by applying a light coating of Butter and dusting it with some Flour. Alternatively line the pan with parchment paper and apply a light coating of cooking spray.
5. Beat Butter and Sugar together until creamy.
6. Add Eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition and mix in Vanilla during the addition of the second Egg.
7. Add the Flour mixture and the Cocoa- Coffee solution alternating with each other, starting and ending with the Flour.
8. Pour the batter to the prepared pan; level the top and bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or till an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
9. Once the Cake is out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes; take it out and finish cooling on a rack before icing.

To make the Ganache

1. Heat Cream and Coffee Powder in a pan till it starts to simmer along the edges. (Do stir often to avoid skin from forming.)
2. Pour this over the Chocolate Chips in a bowl and let it sit for 2 minutes. (Please be patient and let it sit. Stirring before that will make the Ganache grainy from partially melted Chocolate. If this happens accidentally, reheat it in a double boiler until smooth.)
3. Stir to a make a smooth, glossy Ganache and mix in the Vanilla Essence.
4. Let it refrigerate for 5-8 minutes before frosting.

To frost the Cake

1. Spread the Ganache all over the Cake (I opted to spread it only on the top of the Cake.) and decorate it as you wish. (I used Powdered Sugar, some homemade sugar flowers and leaves and some store bought edible beads.)
2. Serve it at room temperature. 

Notes:

• The quality of Cocoa Powder is very crucial for this recipe. So use a Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder or a really good Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. I used Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder from Scharffen Berger. (Unlike the Dutch processed variety, this is slightly acidic and when used in recipes calling for baking Soda, which is an alkali, reacts together to create a leavening effect. So if in case you are using the Dutch processed Cocoa (which is neutral) please increase the amount of baking Soda to 1 teaspoon.
• As Water has a tendency to expand when heated, measure it only after boiling.
• Beat the Flour only till it is mixed. Over beating can result in a tough Cake.
• Sudden lowering in temperature can cause the Cake to fall, so open the oven only during the last stage of the baking. Touch the top of the cake to feel the doneness and insert the toothpick only if you feel that it is done. (If you feel it is still watery, please don’t take chance by inserting the toothpick.)
• Over baking can result in a dry Cake, so please don’t do it.
• Increase the amount of Heavy Cream for a thin Ganache that can be poured over the Cake.
• Refrigerating the Ganache for longer time will make it hard. So be careful with the time. If in case it hardens warm it slightly to make it soft again. (Don’t use high heat in this case as it may separate the Chocolate.)
• As this Ganache is made in a spreadable consistency (thicker than the normal Ganache), it will become very hard on refrigeration. So if you are using Ganache to decorate, please don't refrigerate the Cake. If you don't feel like finishing the Cake within a day or two, do refrigerate; but let it thaw well and come to the room temperature before serving.

Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…