How Much Ganache To Cover An 8" Cake?

Decorating By SugarMama5 Updated 18 Aug 2015 , 8:17pm by SweetTreats123

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SugarMama5 Posted 27 Mar 2012 , 10:26pm
post #1 of 23

OK, I'm planning on making some milk chocolate ganache. I understand the ratio is 3:1. I have 2 questions.

First do I weigh my cream? I know I need to weigh my chocolate, just double checking about the cream.

Second, how much do I need to do an 8" cake? I don't want to have tons left over. Although, how long does ganache last? Can it be frozen and used again?

Thanks! icon_smile.gif

22 replies
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mcsprinkles Posted 28 Mar 2012 , 4:04am
post #2 of 23

Hi there Sugarmama
I do a weight to volume measure so measure the volume of the cream. In metric that's easy but I don't know the conversion for imperial measures...However...I have developed a little spreadsheet for just this purpose. It is called "The Ganacherator" and you can access it here
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28726919/The%20Ganacherator.xlsx (newer version of Excel)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28726919/Ganache%20calculator_97_2003.xls (older versions of excel)
It allows you to put in the size of your cake and the number of layers and tells you how much ganache you need, then tells you the weight of choc and vol of cream (for both white and dark/milk chocolate)
Fortuitously, I just made some adjustments so that you get your weights and volumes in oz. and fl.oz.
I'm from Australia and we use grams and mls. which is not so useful to you!
My email is on the spreadsheet if you have any feedback or questions.
Hope it helps!

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Tails Posted 28 Mar 2012 , 7:48am
post #3 of 23
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcsprinkles

Hi there Sugarmama
I do a weight to volume measure so measure the volume of the cream. In metric that's easy but I don't know the conversion for imperial measures...However...I have developed a little spreadsheet for just this purpose. It is called "The Ganacherator" and you can access it here
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28726919/The%20Ganacherator.xlsx (newer version of Excel)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/28726919/Ganache%20calculator_97_2003.xls (older versions of excel)
It allows you to put in the size of your cake and the number of layers and tells you how much ganache you need, then tells you the weight of choc and vol of cream (for both white and dark/milk chocolate)
Fortuitously, I just made some adjustments so that you get your weights and volumes in oz. and fl.oz.
I'm from Australia and we use grams and mls. which is not so useful to you!
My email is on the spreadsheet if you have any feedback or questions.
Hope it helps!




This. Is. Awesome!!! You should make a separate post and it should be stickied!

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mcsprinkles Posted 28 Mar 2012 , 9:26am
post #4 of 23

*blushes*
Thanks Tails icon_biggrin.gif

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QTCakes1 Posted 28 Mar 2012 , 1:31pm
post #5 of 23

I just like the name "The Ganacherator". Love it! icon_biggrin.gif

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SugarMama5 Posted 29 Mar 2012 , 4:50am
post #6 of 23

AWESOMENESS!!! Just great!

I do have one more question though... I thought that dark and milk chocolate had different ratios??? I though dark chocolate was 2:1 and milk is 3:1??? I thought milk and white both had the 3:1 ratio? So should I just do the conversion of the white chocolate for the milk choc as well? (did that make sense?)

THANKS for posting!!! You are genius to have made this up! icon_biggrin.gif

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mcsprinkles Posted 30 Mar 2012 , 2:47am
post #7 of 23

Hi SugarMama
In Australia we tend to use a 2:1 for milk and dark as they tend to be similar in softness and a 3:1 for white chocolate. If you want to use a 3:1 for milk choc then you could just use the white chocolate measurements the Ganacherator calculates for you, instead of the dark/milk ones too, if that makes sense. But, this can vary with the temperature of where you are from. In the summer months here I sometimes go 3.5-4:1 for white ganache if it is super hot and humid. So if you have had success with other ratios in the past, I would say stick with what works. I know that makes it harder to use the Ganacherator so it looks like I need to be able to build in some functionality around changing ratios for different climates. Leave it with me...
HTH!

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ladij153 Posted 30 Mar 2012 , 3:26am
post #8 of 23

Hi McSprinkles, I love the idea of your Ganacherator and commend you for creating it...I do have a question though, why are the measurements/amounts for a round 8" three layer cake so much more than for an 8" three layer square cake? 53 oz of ganache needed for a round cake which is 3 and about a third lbs as opposed to 13 oz of ganache needed for a square cake of the same size?

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mcsprinkles Posted 30 Mar 2012 , 9:57am
post #9 of 23

Hi Ladij,
You need to put 8 in the side 2 measurement box. If you are doing a square cake you can't leave that measurement blank. You'll notice the amount of ganache changes to 63oz. HTH!
Happy ganaching!

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aagfl86 Posted 2 Aug 2012 , 9:24pm
post #10 of 23

mcsprinkles - thank you for sharing your spreadsheet!!! Soooooo helpful!!!!!

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Addictive_desserts Posted 2 Aug 2012 , 11:40pm
post #11 of 23

Loved it! Oh does it make cake decirating so much easier

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cheatize Posted 3 Aug 2012 , 12:33am
post #12 of 23

Ha! That's extra nifty! Thanks!

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edielicious Posted 18 Mar 2013 , 1:06am
post #13 of 23

I LOVE your Ganacherator.  Thank you for being so generous and sharing it with us.   I look forward to putting it to good use.icon_biggrin.gif

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Annabakescakes Posted 18 Mar 2013 , 2:22am
post #14 of 23

Ganacherator=awesome!

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Lea17 Posted 18 Mar 2013 , 1:39pm
post #15 of 23

This is fantastic!!  I'm so glad you shared this, thank you!! :)
 

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SugarMama5 Posted 18 Mar 2013 , 6:51pm
post #16 of 23

AIt is pretty awesome!!

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Kathy107 Posted 19 Mar 2013 , 6:13pm
post #17 of 23

Thanks for the spreadsheet. 

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winchesterdeb Posted 2 Apr 2013 , 3:55am
post #18 of 23

Tonight - you are my best friend in the world! Thank you for the Ganacherator!!!!icon_biggrin.gif

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jodietaylor Posted 29 May 2013 , 8:57am
post #19 of 23

WOW!! Im trying to make ganche for the first time today for a wedding cake on Saturday and found your table... THANK YOU sooo much!! Im going to follow Inspired By michelles you tube video and hopefully I can make a ganched cake lol Thank you so much xxx

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FrostedMoon Posted 1 Aug 2013 , 3:56am
post #20 of 23

Sorry to resurrect this post, but I have a question.  In the "ganacherator" it asks for how many layers the cake is.  Is that only if you are also filling the cake with ganache?  I plan to fill with strawberry filling, use a ganache dam, cover in ganache and then cover in fondant.  Do I leave the layer box empty?

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thithuhuy Posted 7 Aug 2013 , 9:13am
post #21 of 23

Genius, thank you! I am a total amateur, making 240 cupcakes and a cutting cake  for my friend's wedding this August. You have saved my life!!!!!!!! Have top tip for transporting them that I found online, use strawberry boxes from the supermarket, for your cupcakes in the strawberry boxes , use heavy foil and mould into 

 

your cupcake tins, put the foil into the strawberry boxes, will keep them safe from moving.

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linnod Posted 18 Sep 2013 , 4:01pm
post #22 of 23

I am not able to get the Ganacherator at this time. Can anyone tell me how much Chocolate and cream I will need to fill and cover a 9" round cake 4" high?  I am using semi sweet chocolate.

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SweetTreats123 Posted 18 Aug 2015 , 8:17pm
post #23 of 23

Hi, mcsprinkles, I came here looking for the ratio for semi-sweet chocolate ganache and I just have to say, your spreadsheet is awesome!! I'm going to be doing my first ganached cake this weekend and it's a square. Now I know exactly how much chocolate and cream I need. So awesome! Great job coming up with that. It's a tool I plan to use again and again. Happy caking! :)

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