hi guys! am here again!

This really is bothering me...here is my story.

I baked a cake the other day, it was a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling and frosting. The ganache i used was 1 cup cream to 1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate and 1 tbsp butter. Before icing my cake...i made sure the cake was layered properly. to make sure that the sides of my cake were all equal..i made a guide for trimming the cake on the sides with a use of the bottom of the 8 inch pan i used...i trimmed the cake and all and poured the cooled ganache to the center for it to be the filling. I layed the cake on a cookie sheet with a plate on the bottom so that the drippings will go there. As i poured the ganache to the entire cake and as the icing ran to the sides of the cake...i noticed that the icing really didnt cover all the sides of the cake..some just fell on the plate..I tried refrigerating the ganache as well as the entire cake so that it would firm up...but still when i frosted the sides of the cake....the cake still didnt look smooth and perfect on the sides. Now..my question is, can u guys share to me how you properly cover a cake with chocolate ganache step by step? its just so frustrating. I mean..modesty aside..everyone loves the cake but ofcourse we all want a great tasting and LOOKING cake do we? Can u please help and guide me on how would i make my cake smooth and bump free when i cover it with chocolate ganache? What are the tips u can share? should the cake be trimmed first? what kind of constisency should the ganache be? runny? paste like? gummy? fluffy? buttercream-like?

Kindly help me on this, every tip is well appreciated and i thank u for that this early on!

Hope to hear from u guys soon!

thanks!

(sori for the bad english)

Well, first of all, you need to know that there is a ganache that is in a spreadable consistency and a pouring consistency form.

Here is a blog that might give you some clarification and tips. http://sugaredblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-orleans-doberge-cake.html

Hey! thanks so much Rylan! i learned alot from the site u gave me! thank u very much indeed! have u tried it urself? i do have an additional question though...on the site...she covered her cake first of buttercream and i think some chilled ganache...what if i wouldnt do that and my cake would only be covered by the pourable ganache? would it still be smooth enough?

thanks again! Godbless!

No problem, Jedah.

Nope I haven't tried her exact steps but I have tried covering a cake with spreadable ganache and pourable ganache (separately) with flawless results.

The key to smooth ganache using the pouring method is getting the right consistency and having a smooth base. What I mean is that, your base (your cake), should be smooth, so once the ganache has been poured, you will have an even and flawless finish.

You can skip the buttercream but I highly suggest you smoothen the sides of your cake with spreadable ganache (2:1 ratio)--but if you can make the side perfectly smooth then do your own thing. Your sides should be perfectly even and straight if you want the clean and smooth look.

Of course it is also important to have the right consistency. I suggest you follow the steps on the blog I gave you--but you can definitely skip the buttercream.

hello! thanks for the early reply there!

hmmm...what did u mean by 2:1 ratio? does that mean 2 cups of chocolate to 1 cup of cream? plus ofcourse a tbps of butter for the shimmer right?

Having said these things, can u share to me a recipe that yeilds ganache that can be spread (to use for the first coating) and a recipe of ganache that is used to be poured on the cake (just like the one she used on the website). Thanks! it just confuses me about the consistencies of ganache...i didnt know till now that there are several consistencies of the usage of ganache. Thanks for the enlightenment!

Thank you for the patience

Godbless!

i only use ganache for my cakes but i never tried poring ganache.
i do the 2:1 ratio as well, for example i use 600 gr dark choc to 300 ml cream (No Butter). pour the boiling cream over chocolate and mix it really well til its glossy smooth and glossy.
if you leave it overnight or put it in the fridge for an hour it comes to peanut butter consistency. you can spread the ganache and smooth it with spatula.
i hope this helps

When making ganache, you have to always always measure by weight, not by cups.

An example of 2:1 ratio is 2 pounds chocolate and 1 pound cream (you can always change it as long as it is 2:1. It isn't necessary for this to have a shiny finish since it will be your first coat and will be covered anyways.

I usually let my cream come to a boil, remove from heat and throw the chocolate in. I let it stand there for a minute (to let the hot cream melt the chocolate) and then start stirring it until incorporated. I then transfer it into a bowl and let it cool to thicken to a peanut butter consistency. It usually takes overnight but since I don't have the patience, I let it cool and then pop it in the fridge. After about a couple of hours or so in the fridge, I will usually get a really really hard ganache and so I will microwave it every 10-15 seconds (stirring everytime it comes out) until I get the peanut butter consistency I am looking for. Spread it onto your cake with your spatula, you can also smoothen it with a hot spatula (dipping in hot water and wiping the water off).

For the pourable ganache, I suggest you use the recipe in the blog I sent you. I believe there is a link over there that will give you the directions.