Chocolate Ganache Moist Cake

This is not my 1st Chocolate Cake that I bake. But amongst all the Chocolate Cake that I baked, I think I like this the most. It's soft, moist, and it's simply chocolatey and with a hint of Coffee.

It's not a special occasion nor somebody's birthday. I just bake it because I feel like doing it for Max. I won't pretend that this is simple. Because whenever I bake a cake, I hate the part when I knew I need to do all the washing of all the utensils, that makes a lazy person like me feels tedious and somewhat "difficult".

But........... If you feel that the cake making process is too long, you could always divide your cake making into 2 days to ease the pain. 1st day is to bake the chocolate sponge. 2nd day is to frost the cake with Chocolate Ganache. I did that.
This recipe makes 5 x 10 inch cake. But I make it into 2 cakes (5 x 5 inch each). Because I wanna keep one at home for Max, and bring the other one to work for my colleagues.

Good thing must share :)

Ingredients (Moist Chocolate Sponge)

• 250g of Chocolate Sponge Cake Mix (Sieved)
• 6nos of Eggs (or 5 if your eggs are XL size)
• 50ml of water
• 70g of butter (melted)
• 10 x 10 inch baking tin (Refer to below picture)

Method (Moist Chocolate Sponge)

1. In a mixer, add in Chocolate Sponge Cake Mix, eggs, water. Mix at high speed for 7mins. Use a timer and set the time. Leave it there while you line your baking tin with baking paper and turn on your oven at 175 degree.

2. Reduce to low speed and mix for another 3mins. By now, your baking tin should be ready.

3. Use a spatula, fold in the melted butter. Do not use mixing method. Just gently FOLD the butter in. Pour the batter onto the cake tin, and straight to the oven. Bake it for 30mins. You can now do all the washing while the oven is doing the work.

4. Remove the cake from the baking tin immediately after your cake is out of the oven. Leave it cool completely.


As I mentioned earlier, you can choose to complete the whole cake making process within the day or separate your work into 2 days (less stressful). If you wanna separate your work into 2 days, cut the cake into half, keep your sponge cake into a container, or make sure you wrap it nicely before you keep into the fridge.

For the Chocolate Ganache...  I did mentioned that this cake has a hint of Coffee right? And here it is...

Ingredients (Chocolate Ganache)

• 250g Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate. I used Hersheys.
• 130ml Whipping Cream
• 10g butter
• 2 tsp Instant Coffee. 
• 2 soup spoon of Kahlua or Tia-Maria or any Coffee liquor.
• some chocolate coated coffee bean for deco (optional)

Method (Chocolate Ganache)

1. Take the cake out of the fridge, brush some Kahlua onto the cake surface, and set aside.

2. A metal bowl, chocolate in. Sit the bowl of chocolate on the boiling water. Melt it.

3. At another side, bring whipping cream to boil. Heat off, stir in instant coffee and then add in melted chocolate and butter. Mix well, and your ganache is done. Let the ganache cool abit, and it should be in spreadable consistency (like kaya).

4. After ganache has cooled abit (but still abit warm). Stack up your cake, cut and shape the side of the cake and ensure they are aligned. And the moment that you enjoy the most has arrived.... Sprrrrread the cake with your ganache!!!

5. If you want your cake to have thicker ganache frosting... Spread 1 thin layer of Ganache, put the cake in the fridge for 15 to 20mins. Let the 1st layer of ganache set. Take out and spread 2nd layer of ganache on it. If you want it thicker, repeat the steps.

6. Decorate it with some chocolate coated coffee bean. Keep it in the fridge for at least 1 hour and let it set before you serve. I leave it in the fridge overnight.

And here it is...

It's ugly. I know. I did it on purpose. But it's home-made cake! The messier it is, the more welcoming it would be. There's no rules here. So, you don't need to be so stressed up just wanting to frost your cake till it looks like shop bought cake.

Brushing Kahlua on the cake is to make the cake taste more moist and yummy. Also, the cake will be less "crumbs" when you spread your ganache on it later. But if you don't have Kahlua at home. How? Buy a bottle just because you need to use 2 soup spoon of it?

Don't be silly. Just substitute with 2 tablespoons of Instant Coffee, mix with 2 tablespoons of hot water. You will get the Coffee taste also. But of course, Kahlua taste better for sure.

Let's take a look at the cake texture...


If you notice it, I spread my ganache in a thin layer. Less sinful. And I have quite abit of leftover Ganache tho. But if you want it to be thicker, just go ahead with it. You have my full support.



My fellow colleagues like my cake. I'm happy to see that they enjoyed the cake very
much.

Do give it a try :)