Chocolate, Chocolate Pudding Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. butter two 9×2-inch cake pans with 1 table spoon butter each. coat each pan with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Chocolate, Chocolate Pudding Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

  • For Cake:
  • 8 eggs

  • 1 C sugar
  • 1/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 C flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 C Grand Marnier (optional)
  • For the pudding:

  • 4 C whipping cream

  • 1/2 C cornstarch
  • 1 C sugar
  • 5 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • For ganache:

  • 2 C whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 lbs. semisweet chocolate squares, chopped

Instructions

  1. For cake: In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and has tripled in volume about 8 minutes. In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the cocoa, flour, and baking powder. Fold cocoa/flour mixture into the egg mixture to combine completely. Divide cake batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched. Cool cakes for 15 minutes. Loosen cakes from pans and unmold onto wire racks. Cool to room temperature.
  2. For pudding:
  3. Combine 1/2 c of the cream with the cornstarch in a small bowl and stir to make a paste. Compine the paste with the remaining 3 1/2 cups of cream, the sugar, the chocolate chips, and vanilla in a large nonstick sauce pan. Using a wire whisk, stir the mixture until it is well blended. Over low heat, whisk the cream mixture until chocolate melts thoroughly. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently until it becomes very thick, about 5 minutes. Pour the pudding into a large bowl. Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Cool to room temperature.
  4. To assemble the cake:
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a wire rack over it. Torte each cake. Brush the tops of three layers each with 1/4 c Grand Marnier. Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round cardboard and set it on the wire rack. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding evenly on top of the layer. Top with second layer of cake. Spread 1 1/2 cups of pudding evenly over it. Repeat process with the third layer. Top with the fourth layer and chill for two hours.
  6. For the ganache:
  7. In a medium non-stick saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream just under boiling point. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. With a whisk, stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
  8. Pour the ganache over the top of the chilled cake, allowing the overflow to drip down the sides. Cool slightly.
  9. Carefully remove the cake from the wire rack. Chill for at least 6 hours.