Hot Water Chocolate Cake with Ganache

Who doesn't love chocolate cake?  On Friday, last week, my Granny turned 86.  We had a family Birthday Celebration for her and I cooked for everyone.  We had a fantastic time and enjoyed good food and great company.  In all my haste to make lasagna, Italian dinner rolls and the cake I forgot to take pictures of the cake so I found an image on Google to give you a visual.

This cake is so moist and rich.  You will love it!  I don't remember where I found the original recipe, but I of course changed it to suit my baking style.


Ingredients:


4 1/3 cups of flour
3 3/4 cups of sugar
3/4 cup shortening
2 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 extra large eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups boiling water


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare two 9in cake pans with cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the pans with wax paper.  Set aside.


In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.  Sugar, flour, soda, cocoa, salt and cayenne pepper.  Cut in the shortening to the dry ingredients.  Crack the eggs into a 10oz coffee mug.  Fill the rest of the mug with milk.  Add to the dry ingredients.  Add another 1/2 mug of milk.  Add vanilla.  I heated my water in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, but you can certainly boil it on the stove.  Make sure it's screaming hot and pour over all the ingredients.  Mix on high until all the ingredients are well blended.  You will see tiny lumps of shortening throughout the batter.  It's supposed to look that way.


Pour equal amounts into the two cake pans.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cakes completely.


Ganache:


1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag milk chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Over low heat in a sauce pan add the cream and butter.  Stir frequently until butter is melted.  Stir in vanilla.  Add chocolate chips and stir vigorously until melted and completely incorporated in the cream and butter.  It will look like a mess at first.  You'll think you messed up and that the chips aren't going to incorporate.  It's FINE.  Just keep stirring and it will turn into this beautiful shiny chocolate goodness that you want to bathe in.  Trust me!  Once it's shiny and beautiful remove it from the heat and let it cool.


Take the first cake that you have turned out onto your cake plate.  Pour the ganache into the middle of the cake.  Work the ganache to edges of the cake.  Gently top the ganache with the second cake.  Pour the remaining ganache over the top cake and work it down the sides of the entire cake with a spreading knife.  Put the cake in the refrigerator to allow the ganache to set.


I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!