Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Filling

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ganache Topping

• 4 ounces dark good quality chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt

Directions

Filling

1. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Let cool down to room temperature.
2. Before you beat the whipping cream, put your mixing bowl and beaters into the freezer for 15 minutes.
3. Pour the heavy cream into the chilled mixing bowl and beat for a minute.
4. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until you have reached the perfect consistency. Fold in the room temperature melted chocolate.
5. Place into the refrigerator to chill.

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare three 9-inch cake pans by lining with parchment paper, greasing and lightly flouring.
3. Put 2 cups of water into a saucepan, mix in the cocoa and boil. Stir until combined and smooth, then turn off and set aside to cool.
4. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
6. Beat in the the dry ingredients alternating with the chocolate mixture.
7. Beat just until blended, do not over mix.
8. Divide the batter into the three prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Remove cakes from oven, place on cooling racks and leave them in the pans for 5 minutes.
10. After 5 minutes, remove from pans, remove the parchment paper and cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
11. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Ganache

1. Chop the chocolate into fine pieces and put into a heat proof pot.
2. In a small pot, bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium to high heat.
3. Pour the boiling cream over the finely chopped chocolate. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Leave to sit for 10 minutes and do not stir. Stirring will cool the ganache too quickly and make it grainy.
5. After 10 minutes, stir with a whisk until the ganache is nice and creamy.
6. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides to be sure the chocolate is off the bottom of the pot.
7. The ganache is ready to use, let cool down before pouring onto the cake.

Assembly

1. Take the filling from the refrigerator.
2. Place the first layer of cake onto a cake dish.
3. Spread half the filling onto the cake.
4. Place the second layer of cake on top.
5. Spread the 2nd half of the filling onto the cake.
6. It is okay if some of the filling comes out the sides while you are frosting them.
7. Place the third layer of cake.
8. Pour on the ganache and spread smooth with a spatula.