Chocolate Ganache Cake

Makes/Yield 16 servings
Duration
6 hr
Pudding/dessert
Categories
Bake
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ABOUT THE RECIPE

For a fancifully tall cake, we used 3 (7-inch) round pans. It can also be baked in 3 (8-inch) pans,
though the cake will be slightly lower. We tested this recipe with several different brands of
chocolate, and found Lindt and Ghirardelli had the best flavor for this particular cake. Ours is
garnished with unsprayed, organically grown rose petals, but be as creative as you'd like with
yours.
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INGREDIENTS

FOR CAKE LAYERS

3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
FOR GANACHE FILLING AND GLAZE
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
20 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped in a food
processor

PREPARATION

1Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 3 (7- or 8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans and line
bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking
out excess.
2Whisk together water, cocoa, and espresso powder until smooth, then whisk in milk and
vanilla.
3Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high
speed until fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture
and cocoa mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing at low speed until just
combined.
5Divide batter among pans (about 2 1/3 cups per pan), smoothing tops. Bake in middle of
oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes for 7-inch pans or 20 to 25 minutes for 8inch. Cool in pans on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool
completely.
6Bring cream to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in
chocolate until smooth. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until
thickened but spreadable, about 4 hours. (If ganache becomes too thick, let stand at room
temperature until slightly softened.)
7Arrange 1 layer on a cake stand or plate and spread 2/3 cup ganache evenly over it. Top
with another cake layer and 2/3 cup ganache, spreading evenly, then third cake layer. (Chill
ganache if necessary to keep at a spreadable consistency.) Chill cake until ganache filling is firm,
about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency, chilling when necessary.
8Spread a thin layer of ganache over top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs, then chill 30
minutes. Spread remaining ganache evenly over top and sides of cake.

NOTES

FROM THE AUTHOR

Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, then chilled, wrapped well in plastic
wrap. Ganache may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 2
to 3 hours to soften to a spreadable consistency. This cake can also be made in 2 (8-inch, 2-inchdeep) round cake pans. Split layers horizontally, then use 1/2 cup ganache between layers.
Assembled cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. meringue kisses with passion-fruit fool

Red Velvet Cake

Makes/Yield 10 servings
Difficulty Easy
Pudding/des
sert
Categories

American
Bake
Barbecue

Source

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ABOUT THE RECIPE

Though cream cheese frosting is typically used nowadays on red velvet cake, classic whipped
cream frosting makes for a more balanced sweetness. This recipe first appeared in our March
2012 issue, with Ben Mims' story Sweet Southern Dreams.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for pans, sifted
2 tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. red food coloring
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
FOR THE FROSTING:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract

PREPARATION

1Make the cake: Heat oven to 350. Butter and flour two 8 cake pans, and set aside.
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Whisk together
buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a bowl; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3
minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, alternately add
dry ingredients in 3 batches and wet ingredients in 2 batches. Increase speed to high and beat
until batter is smooth, about 5 seconds. Divide batter between prepared pans, and smooth top
with a rubber spatula; drop pans lightly on a counter to expel any large air bubbles. Bake cakes
until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cakes cool for 20
minutes in pans; invert onto wire racks, and let cool.
2Make the frosting and assemble cake: Whisk together sugar and flour in a 4-qt.
saucepan; add milk and whisk until smooth. Stirring often, bring to a boil over medium-high
heat; cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, about 5 minutes. Remove pudding from heat;
cool. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and 1/4 of the pudding on
medium-high speed until fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add half the remaining pudding,
beating until smooth, and then add remaining pudding and vanilla. Increase speed to high and
beat frosting until white and fluffy, about 3 minutes. To assemble, place one cake on a cake
stand, and spread with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Place second cake over frosting; cover top and sides
with remaining frosting; chill to firm frosting. Serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes/Yield 24 servings
Pudding/dessert
Categories
American
Source

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ABOUT THE RECIPE

Semi-homemade cupcakes that are moist and delicious

INGREDIENTS

1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix

4 Eggs
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
8 ounces Light sour cream
1 package Chocolate pudding mix; 4oz serving size

PREPARATION

1Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

2In a stand mixer, mix cake mix, eggs, water, oil, sour cream and pudding. Mix on
medium for 2 minutes. Pour into paper lined cupcake trays, 3/4 of the way full.
3Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Chocolate Souffle Cake

Makes/Yield 1 servings
Pudding/dessert
Categories
Source

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ABOUT THE RECIPE

Flourless Chocolate Souffle Cake from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup sugar plus more for dusting pan
6 1/2 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate; chopped
3 egg yolks
1 egg
6 egg whites
Cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar; for dusting

PREPARATION

1Step 1
2Heat oven to 300 degrees.
3Grease a 10-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter,
4and dust generously with granulated sugar.
5Step 2
6Melt chocolate and butter over simmering water in a double boiler, about 6 to 8
minutes.

7Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

8Step 3
9In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip yolks and whole egg with
2/3 cup sugar on a high speed, until it is pale yellow and falls in a thick ribbon when the beater is
raised, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing.
10Set aside.
11Step 4
12In an electric mixer, using a second whisk attachment and bowl, (both should be clean
and free of grease) whip egg whites with remaining 1/3 cup sugar on high speed until thick and
foamy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
13Set aside.
14While egg whites are beating, add the cooled, melted chocolate slowly to the yolk
mixture.
15Step 5
16Temper whipped egg whites by mixing in about 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture.
17Then gently fold egg whites into the chocolate yolk mixture, working quickly to
maintain the volume of egg whites; the mixture will have a slightly marbleized appearance.
18Step 6
19Pour batter into prepared pan, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
20Bake in oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
21Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When completely
cool, gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and release spring.
22Dust with cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar before serving.

Blueberry Tart
Categories

Pudding/dessert

Summer
Source

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ABOUT THE RECIPE

The crust of this pie is more like a shortbread than a typical pie pastry, which means no rolling
and no fuss. It's adapted from Alice Medrich's recipe for a mocha tart (aka the kind of pie I
typically like: chocolate), and it takes well to this fruit filling.

INGREDIENTS

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 cups blueberries, picked over and washed
2 peaches, diced
juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons softened butter

PREPARATION

1Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix together all the ingredients for the crust and press the
dough into a fluted pie pan with a removable bottom. Use your fingers to spread the dough
evenly, and be sure to press it up the sides. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, until is is just
beginning to firm up.
2Toss the fruit with the lemon and sugar and set aside.
3To make the crisp topping, combine the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Work in
the butter, using your fingers, until you have a very dry dough that clumps together when you
press it.
4When the crust is done baking, spread the fruit evenly in it. Sprinkle the crisp topping
over everything, then return to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes more, just until the crust is
brown, the blueberries are slightly melted, and the topping is crisp. Cool slightly before serving
with vanilla ice cream.