I am going to make a cake on Friday. Large Ganache cake (11x15). Never made ganache before. So, I have several question you might help me with:
1) how many cups will I need (1 recipe is 2 cups)
2) Can I level the cake? ( will the ganache sunk in the cake if the top is cut)
3) can I do crumb coat before pouring or not at all
4) how to transfer this large cake from a rack to a board without cracking the glaze?
5)Can I touch the glaze with a spatula to smooth it to perfection, before it cools down?
6) can I add chocolate image transfer on wet cake?

Thank you so much...you know first time is first time!

No answers, but I have the same questions. And also, can you put fondant decorations on a ganache-covered cake?

I still hope, that someone could answer some of those Q. If you know just one, that would help. Pleeese!

Ok, let's start with Ganache: 2- 1/2 pounds of chopped high quality chocolate in a bowl. Pour over 6 cups boiling heavy cream, stir until incorporated and smooth. You can level the cake. Always do buttercream crumb coating before glazing with the above ganache. Place the cake board (same size as cake, no extra board) over the cake and flip, level, crumb coat. After the crumb coat, freeze. Now, set the cake on a rack and pour the glaze over from the center and over the edges. My 2 rules for pouring a perfectly smooth ganache are : FAST and FURIOUS! Just pour a LOT on, all extra will run off under the rack. Now, don't move it until the cake is set.

When the cake is set, transfer it, board and all, to another larger board, securing with a bit of glaze under the 1st board.

Your cake will be PERFECTLY glazed, no smoothing necessary. Lastly, add the chocolate transfer when the glaze is no longer "wet" but is set, but not hard. You'll do fine, no worries.

Ditto to what bakingpw said. You can smooth sides a bit with a spatula as you are pouring ganache over cake, just do so lightly and quickly. You do want ganache to be even all around cake. Ganache dries to a beautiful sheen and does not crack when moved to another boar. Delicious! Have fun!

Thank you, Thank you!! I will follow you instruction Exactly. Right now I am working on my image transfer, run to a problem already, and posted another post
If I won't get the chocolate transfer done, that I should just forget the ganache cake and do the BC chocolate. Oh, I want to learn something else that BC.

bakingpw . or others..
I screw up my chocolate transfer right now..(I posted other topic), anyway, my last Q is can I put color flow RI on almost cool Ganache cake?