Ganache Topped Pumpkin Layer Cake Food

GANACHE-TOPPED PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, beat eggs on high speed 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in pumpkin. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, baking powder and salt; fold into egg mixture. Transfer to prepared pans, spreading evenly., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; remove paper. Cool completely. , For filling, in a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until blended; fold in whipped cream. Spread between cake layers. Refrigerate at least 1 hour., Place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; let stand 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth; cool slightly. Press plastic wrap onto surface of ganache; cool to room temperature. Spread over cake. Refrigerate until serving.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching, until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
• Combine buttermilk and eggs in another bowl and add melted chocolate mixture. Beat into flour mixture on low speed for 1 minute; increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Divide batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
• Meanwhile, bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until it thickens and is smooth. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate and spread with a layer of ganache frosting. Lay the second layer on top and use remaining ganache frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.

CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE WITH SWISS BUTTERCREAM AND GANACHE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Put the cocoa powder and chocolate in a medium bowl. Add the boiling water and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the sour cream until smooth; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture in 2 additions. Finish mixing gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Tap the pans against the counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until the cakes spring back in the center when gently pressed, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around the edges and turn out the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment.
• Make the frosting: Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the saucepan (do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water); cook, whisking, until the sugar dissolves, the egg whites are frothy and the mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and the mixture cools to room temperature, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the butter a few pieces at a time, waiting for them to incorporate before adding more. (The mixture will become liquidy, then it will get thick and shiny once the butter emulsifies. It may also look curdled as you add the butter. It's OK: Keep adding butter and beating.) Add the vanilla and beat until combined and fluffy, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Cut each cake in half horizontally to create 4 layers. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 2/3 cup frosting on top, then repeat with the remaining cake layers, spreading more frosting in between them. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat - it doesn't have to be perfect), then refrigerate until the frosting sets, about 30 minutes. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it with a bench scraper.
• Make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming, then pour over the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside until cool but still pourable, 20 to 40 minutes (the time will vary depending on the temperature and bowl). Pour the ganache on top of the cake and spread with a small offset spatula, letting it drip down the sides. Let the ganache set 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 6-inch round springform pans.
• Combine sugar, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves, and ginger into a separate bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in pumpkin until well blended. Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake layer comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Cut rounded tops off of cooled cakes with a large, serrated bread knife so they are flat and even.
• Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whip until there are absolutely no lumps; this may take up to 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Place 1 tier of cake onto a serving plate. Frost the top liberally; place second tier on top. Generously frost the entire cake. Stick almonds gently by the handful onto the sides of the cake.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350, grease or spray a 9x9 pan.
• Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler (or in the microwave for 30 sec. intervals, stirring after each 30 seconds until melted) in a medium bowl.
• Stir in pumpkin, vanilla, oil and flaxseed to the melted chocolate.
• Mix all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves) until well combined, and stir in wet ingredients.
• Spread evenly into the pan (batter will be thick) and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool.
• Ganache: melt margarine and soymilk in a small bowl (either in the microwave or on a double boiler). Stir in chocolate chips and continue heating until melted and smooth.
• Spread over cake when cake is cooled, refrigerate cake if you want ganache to set (or dig in for melty chocolate-y heaven :D).