Hazelnut Ganache Cake Recipe
A delicious moist white cake with a layer of hazelnut ganache and delicious chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cake flour , plus extra for dusting pans1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 3/4 cups sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites
Hazelnut Ganache Layer (for filling)
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons hazelnut liquor
Chocolate Frosting Layer (for frosting)
1 cup butter
1 cup cocoa
6 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate, shaved
8-10 decorated preformed chocolate pieces
Directions
Prepare, by taking out all ingredients and letting them come to room temperature. *This step will make a difference on how the cake turns out.
Preheat oven to 350F and place oven rack into the middle.
Grease and line two 9 inch with parchment paper. Dust with flour.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks.
Beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds.
Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds.
Transfer to bowl and set aside.
Gradually mix in butter mixture to the flour mixture until just incorporated.
Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds.
Use a spatula to stir 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain.
Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles.
Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 minutes.
Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Loosen cakes from sides of pans with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and remove the parchment paper.
Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Prepare hazelnut ganache layer:
Microwave chocolate until almost completely melted; remove from the microwave and let stand 1 minute. Whisk until smooth and completely melted.
Whisk in the heavy cream, and then the liquor. Cool slightly before spreading on as filling.
Prepare chocolate frosting layer:
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.
To arrange, place bottom cake layer onto a decorating tray or your serving plate.
Spread hazelnut ganache smoothly over first layer, and then top with 2nd cake layer.
Spread chocolate frosting over entire cake.
To create lines in your cake:
Using a decorating comb, begin creating the lines around the sides of the cake by pressing the comb at a right angle into the frosting, starting at the bottom edge of the cake. Turning the cake as you go, hold the comb steady to form straight lines in the frosting.
Once you have gone all around the cake, move the comb up the side to make another row if necessary to cover all the way up to the top edge of the cake.
Use Wilton 1M open star decorating tip to create your frosting tops.
Finish garnish with chocolate shavings, and decorative chocolate pieces.