Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/8 cup black cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup hot coffee
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups butter (room temperature)
- 4 cups icing sugar (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare three 6” cake pans by lining with parchment paper and spraying with oil.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Whisk hot coffee and both cocoa powders together until no lumps remain.
- Add buttermilk, canola oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together until combined.
- Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not overmix! Batter will be runny.
- Pour into three prepared pans, weighing for accuracy (or eyeballing!).
- If using cake strips, bake 28 mins. Without, bake 24 mins.
- Check the cakes - tops should bounce back when lightly touched with your finger, and a toothpick inserted to the centre should come out with only a few crumbs - not wet.
- Remove the cakes and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool fully.
- Make buttercream according to instructions (check the "Classic American Buttercream Recipe" page!)
- Microwave the heavy cream in a bowl for 30 seconds, until hot.
- Add in semi-sweet chocolate chips and let stand for about a minute, to soften up.
- Stir until smooth and fully combined.
- Once fully cooled, place first cake layer on a plate or serving dish. Spread a thin layer of frosting, to coat the top.
- Fill a piping bag with buttercream, using the tip of your choice. I like to use a star tip as I find this holds in the filling the best.
- Pipe a border around the edge of the cake.
- Fill this ring in with ganache! It should be slightly cooled, so it's not too runny.
- Place the next cake layer on top, and press down lightly.
- Repeat!
- Once all the layers are stacked, coat the cake in a thin layer of buttercream. Then place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, to allow the ganache and buttercream to set.
- Wrap that baby up in a final coat of buttercream and place in the fridge to chill.
- Re-heat your ganache, so it is a slightly runny consistency. You can test it by pouring a little bit down the side of your bowl.
- Take the cake out of the fridge, and pour a small teaspoon of ganache on the top edge of the cake. Then push it over the edge, so it runs down the side.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat!