Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

I was not thinking about making my 400th post a big celebration. I feel really happy and content that post went off to my BFF in the bloggy world. Still... this cake has been staring at me from the drafts. Yes, I know, dear cake, I kept you pending looking for the right opportunity but when it came, I had to choose my best buddy over you. But still, how can I ignore you? So here I am... Ramadan is never an opportunity to bake. Even though my fingers itch so badly, I have to wash it off as bakes just lie untouched, while the fried stuff would fly out of the plates.

This cake was baked for my B's birthday way back in April, made a week after I baked the Tres Leches Cake. That's just three months ago, so I feel it's OK, I am not very late in posting this! I saw this recipe in the Friday magazine, which was shared by Chef Silvena Rowe as the best chocolate cake recipe. The original recipe used milk chocolate. I just replaced it with dark chocolate and tried it out. Definitely, the end result was a fudgy, gooey, moist chocolate cake that we all devoured, especially when cold, out of the fridge. One word of warning - this is definitely not for kids! My children didn't really enjoy it. I am sure it was because of the bitterness of the dark chocolate coupled with the minimum sugar that I added. Rasha kept complaining that it was bitter! Well, as per her standards, it was, but I really enjoyed it with a cup of black coffee - what a combination that was! We had the cake for tea over a stretch of three days, and all days, me and B had big slices while HD helped himself with the tiniest piece who could take, since he is nowhere a sweet tooth, but still gave me a thumbs-up for the little piece he ate.

As I go ahead with this post, reminds me my blog is 18 months old - a ferocious toddler!!! :)



Ingredients:

250 gm dark chocolate, chopped
225 gm butter, softened to room temperature
150 gm sugar (can go upto 225 gm)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
200 gm all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
125 ml milk

For ganache:
150 gm dark chocolate, chopped
150 gm cream
20 gm butter


Method:

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Grease and line a 24 cm spring-foam pan.

Melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water. Cool completely. In a bowl, sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar till fluffy and creamy. Break in one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, beating after each addition. Finally add in the milk, melted chocolate and vanilla essence and give it a final mixing.

Pour into the prepared pan, tap to flatten the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, till the tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then cool on a rack.

To prepare ganache, combine all ingredients and melt on a hot water bath till you get a smooth glossy mixture. Allow to cool before spreading it on the top of the cake and sprinkle some sugar sprinkles for making it look colorful, just like I did!!! :)