Chocolate Citrus Cake with Ganache

I made this cake back in January and it was my first attempt at constructing a two layer cake. I'm looking back on it now since my sisters birthday is next weekend and she requested a cake. A request that I am more than happy to fill (right now at least, ask me again next Friday night..) Oh, and as you can tell my skill for photographing food lacks now as it did back then. I promise I'll get better! This cake took all day! I didn't even include the candied oranges for garnish..

Hands on time: about 1 hour
Total time: about 6 hours (including filling, frosting, etc..)

To make this cake you will need the following tools:

Parchment paper
Two 9-inch round pans
Electric mixer
Saucepan
Heat proof bowls (glass)
Free time and every bowl in your kitchen! (don't say that I didn't warn you..)

Chocolate Citrus Cake with Ganache
Adapted from Southern Living Magazine
For the cake:

• 2 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bars, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot brewed coffee

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Grease and flour 9-inch round pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper. Lightly grease parchment paper.

2. Melt chocolate in double broiler or microwave-safe bowl at high for 1 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Personally, I'm not a fan of melting chocolate in the microwave and don't own a double broiler, so I got a heat proof glass bowl and put it above a sauce pan with boiling water underneath and stirred the chocolate until it had melted. Same concept.

3. Next, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

4. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. At this point the mixture is going to be thick, don't let that scare you.

5. Stir vanilla into hot coffee. Gradually add coffee mixture to batter in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 38 to 42 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Whipped Ganache Filling:

• 1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (I beg you not to skip the liqueur)

1. Melt chocolate morsels and whipping cream until smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in liqueur until smooth. Cover and chill 2 hours or until mixture is thickened.

2. Beat ganache at medium speed with an electric mixer 20 to 30 seconds or until soft peaks form and ganache lightens in color. Be very careful not to overmix. Use immediately by spreading between layers, spreading to edges of cake and leveling with an offset spatula. Gently press top cake layer down, pressing out a small amount of ganache filling from between layers, and spread filling around sides of cake, filling in any gaps between layers.

Seven Minute Frosting:

• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon orange liqueur
  

1. Pour water to depth of 1 1/2 inches saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer. Combine egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, orange liqueur, and 1/4 cup water in a glass bowl that will fit over your saucepan. Beat at high speed with an electric mixer until blended. Place bowl over simmering water, and beat at high speed 5 to 7 minutes or until soft peaks form; (NOTE: it took me well over 7 minutes for the peaks to form, just keep at it even if you feel your arm about to dislocate). Remove from heat. Beat to spreading consistency.

2. Spread over top and sides of cake. You can swirl the frosting using the back of a spoon to create a nice circle effect on the cake if you wish.

If you'd like to add the lovely candied oranges for garnish, you can find out how here. I should mention that this cake was to die for and once I tasted the combination of chocolate with the frosting, it was worth every single minute in the kitchen, every trip back to the grocery store, and every dirty dish in the sink. Sinful.