Decadent Chocolate Cake With Ganache

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup whipping cream, heavy
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, combine cocoa and water; set aside.
• 2 in a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• 3 add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 4 beat in vanilla.
• 5 combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition.
• 6 pour into three greased and floured 9" round baking pans.
• 7 bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• 8 cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• 9 for ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl.
• 10 in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, bring cream and sugar to a boil.
• 11 pour over chocolate; whisk gently until smooth.
• 12 refrigerate for 35-45 minutes or until ganache begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
• 13 for frosting, in a large mixing bowl beat butter until fluffy.
• 14 add confectioners sugar, cocoa, milk, and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• 15 place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup of frosting.
• 16 top with second layer and one cup ganache and sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds.
• 17 top with third layer, frost top and sides of cake.
• 18 warm ganache until pourable; pour over cake, allowing some to drape down the sides.
• 19 sprinkle with remaining almonds.
• 20 refrigerate until serving.