Chocolate Pound Cake

I live with a bunch of chocoholics. If there's even an ounce of chocolate in something it won't last more than a day to two. So, just imagine the bug-eye's I got when they came home to find a chocolate pound cake, with chocolate ganache and fudge buttercream. Yeah, it was like Christmas!

Chocolate Pound Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup Cake & Pastry Flour

1 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Cocoa Powder

2 oz Semi-Sweet Bakers Chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup Boiling Water

1 cup Butter, softened

1 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

5 large Eggs

6 Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325*F.  Grease and flour a 9 x 5 cake pan.

2. Sift together flour & salt in a separate bowl (not your mixing bowl) and set aside.

3. In another bowl add the chopped chocolate and pour the boiling water over it. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then add the cocoa powder.  Mix well.

4. In your mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar until light & fluffy.  Slowly pour in the chocolate and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between.

5. Slowly add the flour, remembering to periodically scrap down sides of the bowl. Once all the flour is mixed in pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

6. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.  While the cake is cooling prepare the ganache.

Ganache Ingredients:

3 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1/2 Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  Once melted whisk in the heavy cream until silky smooth.

2. Pour over the top of the cake and use a cake spatula to push it over the edges for a nice dripping effect.

3. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the ganache. Prepare the fudge buttercream.

Chocolate Fudge Buttercream

1 3/4 cups Icing Sugar

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1/4 cup Butter, softened

3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

1/2 cup Half & Half Cream

2 oz Semi-sweet Baker's Chocolate

1/2 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Salt

Directions:

1. Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder and set aside.

2. In a small sauce pan heat, over medium-low, 2 tbsp of the butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the half & half, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form around the edges. 

3. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer, continue stirring frequently until the mixture thickens slightly and turns a deep gold colour.  

4. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the remaining butter and half & half, mixing well.  Slowly whisk in the icing sugar mixture.  Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.  Cool in the fridge until the desire consistency is reached.

5. Pipe a nice design around the cake and add the chocolate covered coffee beans.

Stay Sweet!

Tammy