Hi Debbie ~ Here is my recipe for Blackout Cake. It is moist, dark and a favorite with family and friends. I have made it with the ganache frosting, but have also baked it in a bundt pan and frosted it with a simple chocolate glaze.
BLACKOUT CAKE
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, softened
3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour and tap out excess.
2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. Add chocolate and beat 1 to 2 minuts.
3. Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to chocolate mixture in two additons alternately with buttermilk. Beat until well blended. With mixer on low speed, add boining water and beat until smooh (batter will be thin). Pour batter into propared pans.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 to 15 minutes then unmold onto racks and let cool completely.
5. Cover a cake layer with a little more than one third of ganache frosting (recipe follows). Set second cake layer on top. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining ganache. If desired, press sliced, toasted almonds onto side of cake. Refrigerate cake 3 to 4 hours or until ganache is firm before serving. Serves 12 to 16 people.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
18 ounces (3 cups) of semisweet chocolate chips OR bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, cut up
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. In a 2 quart glass bowl, combine chocolate chips and cream. Heat in microwave on high for 3 minutes or until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in butter and vanilla.
2. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until ganache holds its shape and is thick enough to spread on cake.