My First Ganache Cake

Decorating By anxietyattack Updated 24 Mar 2011 , 3:41am by anxietyattack

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anxietyattack Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 7:19pm
post #1 of 26

I just covered my first ganache covered cake! I'm never ever ever going back to buttercream under fondant. AMAZING!

And, it was sooo much easier than I thought it was going to be.

If you haven't tried it yet, you must. Once you go ganache you never go back.

25 replies
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Sassy74 Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 7:24pm
post #2 of 26

True true true. Love using ganache under fondant. Unfortunately, I've had a few people tell me they didn't want ganache, and I almost cried lol.

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Karen421 Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 7:36pm
post #3 of 26

I very rarely use buttercream any more, only if the person is allergic to chocolate! icon_biggrin.gifthumbs_up.gif

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Darthburn Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 8:34pm
post #4 of 26

I love using ganache... easy to make... love the result under fondant.

BUT....

No one wants chocolate. With the last 5 cakes I've made, only 1 has wanted ganache.

Oh well.... as long as people want buttercream, I'll be making it! icon_smile.gif

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 8:44pm
post #5 of 26

I use it as standard, unless specifically asked otherwise.

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Redness82 Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 10:17pm
post #6 of 26

Newbie here... So.. What's the difference between buttercream and ganache? Can ganache also be used on the outside of the cake like buttercream? And one last question, whats the best recipe for ganache?

Thanks for your help!!

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ShandraB Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 11:04pm
post #7 of 26

I'm with you, ganache is awesome!

Redness 82 - There are a million kinds of buttercream. It is a frosting that is usually a mix of butter, vegetable shortening, sugar, flavorings and many other ingredients. It can be made into almost limitless flavors.

Ganache is a mixture of heavy cream and chocolate and can be made in white, dark and milk chocolate. You can make it into a whipped frosting, or pour it over a cake to give it a glossy top coat. It works really well under fondant because it holds its shape. Check the recipe section for recipes.

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Darthburn Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 11:09pm
post #8 of 26

Yes you can use ganache on the outside of the cake like buttercream.

You want to make it at a 2:1 ratio using semi sweet chocolate or 3:1 for MILK chocolate.

2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
pat of butter (optional)

Heat the heavy whipping cream stirring constantly until it starts to boil. In a bowl, have the chocolate chips ready... slowly pour the hot heavy whipping cream over them. Let it set for a few minutes and then stir to a creamy consistancy.
Cover and let sit overnight or place in the fridge unit thickened to peanut butter consistancy. Easily spread over cake. It will harden to a crust like form overnight.

Great for edges and a nice smooooooooth finish under fondant.

You can also whip it if you want to fill a cake with it or just use it for icing.

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Marianna46 Posted 26 Feb 2011 , 11:29pm
post #9 of 26

I'm a convert to ganache under fondant, too. I had to start using it because in the hot and humid climate where I live, anything else under the fondant was so humid it melted it and it always slid off the cake or tore. I don't even ask here. If anybody mentions it, I just tell them it has to be ganache or nothing (in which case I moisten the surface of the cake VERY lightly with a mister so the fondant will stick), but so far nobody has ever complained - on the contrary, they rave! By the way, there are two kinds of ganache. One is the "icing" kind that almost everybody is talking about here. Once you make it and allow it to set up, it has about the consistecy of peanut butter. The other kind is pourable ganache, which is very liquid and is poured like chocolate syrup over the cake. The recipe for this one is quite different (I'm pretty sure there's one here on Cake Central -- just do a search for "pourable ganache" in the recipe section) and a little more complicated, but not impossible.

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Karen421 Posted 27 Feb 2011 , 1:19am
post #10 of 26

Check out this thread - started by MikeRowesHunny;

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-633264-buttercream.html+fondant
thumbs_up.gificon_biggrin.gif

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anxietyattack Posted 27 Feb 2011 , 3:15am
post #11 of 26

I just posted some pictures of the cake in my photos. It's the chinese collar one. The cake didn't turn out perfect but I am such a fan. It was a hit with my family too icon_smile.gif

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Marianna46 Posted 27 Feb 2011 , 6:03pm
post #12 of 26

Well, it looks perfect in the photos! What a beautiful cake! And thanks for posting the link to the ganache thread, Karen421. It's the one I learned all about ganache on - very informative.

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aej6 Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 1:08am
post #13 of 26

The cake looks great!!

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mom2twogrlz Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 1:33am
post #14 of 26

I too am a ganache lover!!! I now tell people that if they want fondant it will be ganache frosting. And I have found that once they try it they don't want buttercream anymore. I love that stuff. My chocolate loving daughter says, "This is the bestest cake ever mommy."

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Charmed Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 1:56am
post #15 of 26

do you whip the ganache before applying it to the cake? or just use it straight.

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Karen421 Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 2:05am
post #16 of 26

I usually whip mine. icon_biggrin.gif

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mom2twogrlz Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 2:11am
post #17 of 26

I whip mine too.

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Marianna46 Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 10:23am
post #18 of 26

I mostly use it straight. I've tried whipping it and it doesn't seem to make much difference in the consistency, so I figure why work so hard when there's always so much else to do.

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Karen421 Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 12:37pm
post #19 of 26

I think whipping it makes it "fluffier" and creamier, but it's personal preference! icon_biggrin.gif

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TabbieCakes Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 2:01pm
post #20 of 26

So I'm about sold on switching from buttercream to ganache, but my question is: what is the mouth feel with ganach? Does it harden and crackle like a candy coating when you cut into the cake?

Or is it still soft, though harder than buttercream?

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bakencake Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 2:47pm
post #21 of 26

ok. so my question is.... what kind of chocolate do you use? can i use Hershey chocolate bars? does it have to bee a specific type of chocolate? One time I tried to making it to put in between the layers but my friends complained that it was too hard. I knew something was up when i had to microwave the chocolate a few seconds to spread it, it was rock solid.

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Kellbella Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 4:53pm
post #22 of 26

If you whip it...does it still harden up?

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imagenthatnj Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 5:14pm
post #23 of 26
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what_a_cake Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 5:26pm
post #24 of 26

Ganache is my preferred coating, use it straight never whipped and people usually loves it! I'm regular to Nestle semisweet chocolate chips as it performs great and save time by not having to break in small chunks.

Like others I don't ask anymore, allergic people will let know they can't have chocolate.

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Marianna46 Posted 28 Feb 2011 , 6:32pm
post #25 of 26

Ganache has about the same consistency as peanut butter when it's done right, and the mouth feel is divine - soft and creamy, but not as soft as buttercream. If it's too hard, your cream might not have had enough butterfat in it - it needs to be 35% butterfat. I always add some butter, because the cream I get here is low in butterfat content. That generally makes it just right. I've used lots of different kinds of chocolate, from big blocks to Hershey bars to chocolate chips to candy melts (that aren't actually even chocolate!). They've all worked splendidly. Just don't forget that the ratio for white chocolate to cream is 3:1 while the ratio for milk or dark chocolate to cream is 2:1 (by weight, preferably, not by volume). White chocolate doesn't have as many chocolate solids (or whatever it is!) as the others, so you have to use more.

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anxietyattack Posted 24 Mar 2011 , 3:41am
post #26 of 26

Marianna46, Thanks for the compliment. I'm sorry I just now got back to this thread. I've been a baaad girl. lol. I'm trying to lose weight so I 86'd cakes lmao. So I'm stress eating. I gained 5 lbs. yup. Such as life.

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