Salted Dark Chocolate Cake With Ganache Frosting
Layer cakes are pretty, but for many, they require far too much work to make on a regular basis. This cake, adapted from “Modern Baking: Cakes, Cookies and Everything in Between” by Donna Hay, may find a place in your recipe repertoire. It requires just two bowls — one for the cake and one for the frosting — and there’s no need to separate wet and dry ingredients. You just toss everything into a bowl and stir. The end result is a tender, sophisticated cake slathered with a glossy milk chocolate-sour cream ganache. Ms. Hay sprinkled black sea salt around the edges of her cake with stunning effect, but traditional white sea salt looks beautiful, too.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 2 ½cups/310 grams self-rising flour, sifted (see note)
- ½cup/45 grams cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 ½cups/295 grams sugar
- 4large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½cups/360 milliliters whole milk
- 1cup plus 2 tablespoons/255 grams unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 7ounces/200 grams dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- 2teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon flaky sea salt, white or black
- 1cup/240 milliliters sour cream
- 14ounces/400 grams milk chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 8-inch round cake tins with parchment paper. Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, dark chocolate and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. (You may need to use a spatula to start, but use a whisk once the ingredients begin to combine.) Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely.Step 2
Make the ganache: Place the sour cream and melted chocolate in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes or until firm. Place 1 of the cakes on a cake stand or plate. Spread with half the ganache. Top with the remaining cake and ganache. Sprinkle with the salt to serve.