| Mocha Brownie Cake |
Contributed by judyl
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For Chocolate Lovers!
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| Instructions |
| CAKE:
3/4 c. flour
3/4 tea. baking powder
1/2 tea. salt
4 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
6 T. (3/4 stick) butter
5 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tea. vanilla extract
3 T. sour cream
GANACHE (filling and frosting)
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
3 T. butter
3 T. sugar
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. hot, strong brewed coffee
For the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess, set aside.
Heat an inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler. Put the semi and unsweetened chocolate with the butter in the top of the double boiler (or just use a regular pan) and heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is fully blended and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat.
Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a miser fitted with a whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer, whip on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes or ntil the eggs are thickened and doubled in volume.
Add the melted chocolate and mix at high speed for 15 seconds. Don't worry if the chocolate is not fully mixed- it will blend in as you add the other ingredients.
Working with a rubber spatula, gently but thoroughly fold in the dry ingredients.
Measure the sour cream into a small bowl and give it a vigorous whisk or two to loosen it before adding it to the batter, fold it in until thoroughly blended. The batte will be quite thick.
Pour the batter gently into the prepared pan and smooth and level it with a spatula, if neccessary. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes, then turn it out (upside down) onto a cardboard cake round or a flat plate Refrigerate, uncovered at least one hour.
FOR THE GANACHE: Heat the heavy cream, butter and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil; set aside.
Put the coarsely chopped chocolate into a large bowl and pour in the boiling cream and the hot coffee. Set the mixture aside for 5 minutes and then stir until smooth.
The ganache must cool thoroughly; either leave it to cool at room temp. which could take an hour or so, or refrigerate it.
The ganache thichens as it cools; use it when it begins to thicken but still can be poured over the cake.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: Remove the cake from the refrigerator and invert it (right side up) onto a clean, dry work surface.
Using a long, sharp knife, carefully cut the cake horizonally into three even layers.
Place the top layer of the cake, cut-side down, into a 9-inch springform pan, being sure that the sides of the pan are closed. Pour 1 cup of the ganache over the layer and spread it evenly to the edges with a spatula. Refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator and put the center layer into the springform pan, pressing it gently into place.
Pour 1 cup of the remaining ganache over the layer, again spreading it to the edges of the pan with a spatula.
Refrigerate again for 15 minutes. If at any point the ganache has thickened so it is not pourable, heat it over a very low heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to its proper constistency.)
Remove the cake from th refrigerator again and place the last layer, cut-side down, into the pan, again pressing it into place.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before applying the icing. Cover the remaining ganache with plastic wrap and keep it at room temp.
To finish the cake, run a knife around the inside edges of the cake pan and release the spring. Set the cake on a serving plate. Pour the remaining ganache into the top of the cake and spread it on the top and sides with a long icing spatula. Allow the icing to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Once the ganache has set, the cake may be covered and kept in the refrigerator up to two days. If refrigerated, cut the cake and let the slices sit on plates 15 to 20 nimutes before serving. |
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