emf7701, I am going to make a cherry chocolate cake for Valentines Day (my first of this flavor) and cover it in ganache (also my first), I will let you know how it turns out.
whittydoodle, I believe you can leave a ganache covered cake out for up to 2 days. The high sugar content acts as a perservative. Check out the website baking911.com, it explains more about this and gives many other tips!
also too remember the consistency you want depends on the amount of time you let the chocolate and cream sit after melting. When I do poured Ganache I pour it immediately over cake. But I am making one this weekend that will be mixed WITH the BC and so I will need to refrigerate it after it has come to room temp. OR if you want it like thick icing you just let it sit out to thicken then ice cake. If you refrigerate it you can then whip it for filling or instead of whipping you can make truffles! i love how versitile it is!
Can anyone give advice on how to get ganache smooth on the cake? I've used it twice now and I just can't get that smooth satiny finish that I see in other pictures. Also, how do you put the ganache on the cake without it dripping all over your cakeboard or plate? I've been sitting mine on wax paper on a baking rack so the ganache drips off, but I'm afraid of my cakes breaking to pieces when I move them. Any advice?
Thanks!
Can anyone give advice on how to get ganache smooth on the cake? I've used it twice now and I just can't get that smooth satiny finish that I see in other pictures. Also, how do you put the ganache on the cake without it dripping all over your cakeboard or plate? I've been sitting mine on wax paper on a baking rack so the ganache drips off, but I'm afraid of my cakes breaking to pieces when I move them. Any advice?
Thanks!
Good questions! First of all use this recipe for a 9 inch cake to practice. It works Perfectly for the smoothness and shine ( you can see the two ganache cakes in my pics-nice and shiny and smooth!)The recipe is VERY EASY and Fast!
8oz Semi Sweet Chocolate (I used Ghiradelli chopped in small peices)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Melt both together in double boiler then Immediately pour over cake!
Now, in order keep from breaking your cake, Buy a cake board the same size as your cake. You can even cut it so the edges don't stick out. This way the chocolate goes straight down to the wax paper and then when you have too pick up the cake you are picking it up with the board underneath and that board will keep the cake steady. I actually slide a spatula underneath the cake board to help lift it so I can get my hands under it.
When you crumb coat a cake with buttercream, then put the top layer of buttercream on it, make sure it's as smooth as possible. Then put it in the freezer (yes freezer) for about 1 hour. You want it properly chilled through but not frozen stiff. Pour the hot (warmed) ganashe over the chilled buttercream and you will have the smoothest, shiniest ganashe coating you can ever imagine. 
Wow, now I a confused! I thought I had this ganache thing down and was ready to give it a try. Put the cake in the freezer before pouring over the warm ganache?? I have heard people mention this slows down the ganache from spreading and then the whole cake may not get covered and the ganache sets up to fast. What is the reasoining behind haveing a really cold cake? Help 
Wow, now I a confused! I thought I had this ganache thing down and was ready to give it a try. Put the cake in the freezer before pouring over the warm ganache?? I have heard people mention this slows down the ganache from spreading and then the whole cake may not get covered and the ganache sets up to fast. What is the reasoining behind haveing a really cold cake? Help
I used to work in a bakery where we used to make bumpy cakes and this is how we did it. If the cake is frozen solid, you will have this problem. You don't want the cake frozen solid, you want it firmly chilled (set.) When the warm ganashe goes on, you also want to pour a LOT on it. We had pitchers of like 8 cups almost full (we could reuse it to our heart's content!) The stopping and using a spatula won't get a clean, shiny look like a continuous pour will. And you don't want the ganashe scalding hot either, it should only be a little above 100 degrees.
Can anyone give advice on how to get ganache smooth on the cake? I've used it twice now and I just can't get that smooth satiny finish that I see in other pictures. Also, how do you put the ganache on the cake without it dripping all over your cakeboard or plate? I've been sitting mine on wax paper on a baking rack so the ganache drips off, but I'm afraid of my cakes breaking to pieces when I move them. Any advice?
Thanks!
I think there are lots of things you can do. You can use the pouring methods that the others mentioned. You can use my cooled ganache & spatula method, too. It doesn't have quite as much shine, but there's stilll plenty, and you can get a very smooth look.
To avoid a messy cake board or plate, I slide strips of wax paper under the edges of the cake before covering it with ganache. Once the ganache-covered cake has set a little, I gently slide the wax paper out, leaving a clean surface underneath.
Wow, now I a confused! I thought I had this ganache thing down and was ready to give it a try. Put the cake in the freezer before pouring over the warm ganache?? I have heard people mention this slows down the ganache from spreading and then the whole cake may not get covered and the ganache sets up to fast. What is the reasoining behind haveing a really cold cake? Help
That is if you "want" to put BC on your cake. I don't even go through the mess of making BC because you don't need it when doing ganache. That is totally up to you.
Ok I have read and reread this thread! I am making a chocolate buttercream coverd cake today and want to put ganache just on the edge to make little drips. I will frost my cake, make my ganache, put my cake in freezer for 1 hour, by this time my ganache should be cooled about right then I will spoon small amount just over the edge of my cake (or could I put it in a bottle and squirt it on)? Then if I want to make rosettes over the edge of my cake (I want this darker than my cake) I will put my ganache in refrigerator for 1 hour then whip it and make my rosettes? Please tell me if I am understanding this correctly.
Melissa
Ok I am finished with my cake and it all turned out OK but I have a couple of questions. While it is cooling for the first 5 minutes I had a film form on top of the cream - should I have removed it? Does the ganache not get hard after it drips? Mine dripped a little farther down the cake than I had wanted.
I LOVE Ganache! This stuff is HEAVENLY! To avoid the film on top when cooling they say to put some plastic wrap write on top (touching it) and that will reduce your film....
I am also curious if Ganache ever hardens...like a coating instead of frosting?
I am making a cake for my husband and I want to put the ganache underneath piped BC frosting...will that work!?
On the bumpy cakes we used to do, we had the frosting border at the bottom of the cake right on top of the ganashe, it worked fine.
Ok...so the ganache will firm up if you refridgerate it..
With the Cheftaz recipe it says for whipped you let it cool for one hour...Do you then have to whip it again? To make it fluffy like a frosting or you can just put it in you piping bag and it will be stiff enough?
This is a great forum by the way! Thanks for responding to my questions so fast! 
It's a recipe posted on this site. Here's the link:
http://www.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2116-Chocolate-Ganache-1.html
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