Okay here is my situation. I have a wedding coming up in the beginning of June where the bride wants a 3 tier round cake with ganache frosting, and fruit surrounding the layers. She had me do a sheet cake (see below) for a function she was having to taste my cake and check out my abilities, lol. This was my first time with ganache, and it did not go as I had planned. I did lots of reading and research before trying it, but the ganache just didn't pour at all, like I had read it would. Now I'm trying to figure out what I did wrong to compensate with this wedding cake coming up. I really want the cake to be smooth and since I can't use my normal smoothing techniques, I need to figure out how to pour it smooth. Thanks in advance for any and all help...

This is the recipe I used:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2116-Chocolate-Ganache-1.html, although I realized afterwards that I needed more cream and ended up with equal parts of chocolate and cream.
-I made sure that the cake was at room temperature, but even pouring the ganache right after I made it (rather than waiting for it to cool) it still didn't want to "pour" just kind of pooled up and wouldn't smooth out without using my spatula. It seemed to thick and I don't want to have to use my spatula to smooth it out for the wedding cake especially since in the cake below you can see my spatula lines. I have seen beautiful ganache cakes that were smooth and beautiful, please help me!

Try this...
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ganache.html

when I have used it...it seems to me you just put a bunch on and then I sort of tilt the cakes around so that I get to start running...but that said I have only done the kind that drips around the edges...but it came out pretty smooth...

I am new to this site, but not new to working with this type of frosting. I have a great recipie from the death by chocolate show on PBS and the Food Network. I have used it for many years and is extremely easy to work with and adicting! Make sure that the chocolate chips that you use are fresh, and of good quality. I prefer Gerideli (spelling?) or Hersheys are ok, have a nice strong flavor.

Heat your cream and unsalted butter and sugar in the microwave until it is very hot but not boiling. (I prefer to heat it in the microwave because it is safer. It can scorch on the stove, and if it boils over on the stove you can have a massive fire very fast!

Once the mixture is hot pour over your chips. Let sit a couple minutes to melt the chocolate chips, and then stir like crazy with a wire wisk. It will come together quite quickly. You can then put in the fridge and it should cool to pouring consistancy within an hour or so depending on how big of a batch you make at one time. Just keep an eye on it.

If you want you can also let it harden just past pour stage and frost on the cake. it will have the same glossy effect as poured but more control. I love doing cakes with this dark beautiful basket weave with choclate covered strawberries on top.. drizzled with white and dark chocolates.

The recipie I use is 1 1/2 c. Heavy Cream, 3 tbs. unsalted butter and 3 tbs of sugar and 1 pkg of 12 oz semi sweet or double chocolate chips.

I hope that you have really charged her because of the time involved and the extra cost in the frosting. I did the cake that is in the wilton wedding cakes A Romantic Portfolio pg. 48 not long ago. It was a huge hit! And fun to make. It had the Ganache, and I used 3 tiers of 2 layer cakes, not the cheesecakes as shown in the books but it looked just like the photo.. (this was there grooms cake!)

Well I hope that this helps you please feel free to contact me if you have any problems.

I dont know how your making your ganache but heres the way I do it and its easy and versitile. I use cadburys compound chocolate buttons (have for 15 years, cant find anything better). Gently heat 600ml cream until just simmering - turn off the heat and stir in 750g chocolate buttons with a wooden spoon or a hand whisk until smooth. This can be poured onto a cake straight away or chilled and whipped. It can also be thickened with more chocolate or thinned with more cream - a little at a time. I've even made it in the microwave by just putting the cream and chocolate in a glass bowl on medium for 2-3 minutes and then stir.
If all else fails get creative and disguise the ganache with chocolate shards or something else clever. I've included a photo of one of my recent 3 tier choclate wedding cakes with mixed berries.
I hope this helps - best of luck!