Chocolate cake with ganache and marzipan

Hello everyone! The weekend is here, and many of you have started the holidays.

I’m so happy for you, and I hope you will all have a wonderful time.

It’s nice to go for a walk now, so many decorated houses and windows.. Christmas trees and lights, so pretty.

They say “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year”, well, I hope it will be for all of you!

I know many people are lonely and unhappy at this time of year, I’m thinking about you. My private phone number is 0047 -95794443, call me if you are having a hard time and need someone to talk to.

I’ll be there all the time over the holidays, Christmas Day, too.

Today I made this amazing chocolate cake filled with raspberries and a luscious, silky ganache.

I covered the cake with white marzipan, perfect to serve your holiday guests.

For the chocolate cake:

• 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup (90 g) cocoa powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cup (375 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ cup (250 g) mayonnaise (not light)
• 1 ¼ cup (300 ml) tepid water or strong coffee

For the ganache: (Double the recipe if you are covering the cake with ganache instead of marzipan!)

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp (250 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tbsp (50 g) runny honey
• 3 tsp instant espresso powder
• 7 oz. (200 g) dark chocolate (66% cocoa solids), chopped
• 1/3 cup (75 g) unsalted butter
• 7 oz. (200 g) fresh raspberries

For the marzipan cover:

• 1-2 packets white marzipan

Preheat the oven to 330°F (165°C).

Grease and line three 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla into a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes.

Scrape the inside of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for another 5 minutes.

Scrape the inside of the bowl again and add the mayonnaise beating until just mixed in.

Sift the flour mixture into the batter in two additions, alternating with the water or coffee. Fold everything together with a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter between the pans.

Bake on the middle rack for about 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool completely.

Make the ganache. Put the chocolate and butter into a heat proof bowl.

Put the cream, honey and instant espresso powder into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and pour over the chopped dark chocolate and diced butter in 2-3 additions, stirring well after each addition.

Let cool.

Cover with plastic wrap and leave to set overnight at room temperature.

To assemble the cake, use a cake ring slightly bigger than the cakes.

Put the cake ring onto a lined baking sheet and place one of the cakes in the ring.

Spread out a layer of the ganache and tumble over half the raspberries.

Place the second cake on top and repeat the process.

Place the last cake on top, cover the cake ring with plastic wrap and chill for a few hours.

Put some books on top to help flatten the top of the cake.

Release the cake from the ring.

• If you are going to cover the finished cake with marzipan, you will only need one quantity of ganache, and the remains will be enough to cover the top and sides with a thin layer, just to make the marzipan stick later.
• If you are not going to cover the finished cake with marzipan, you will need two quantities of ganache, and what you have left will be enough to cover the top and sides with a decent layer.

I’m covering the cake with a layer of white marzipan, too…

You will only need a thin layer of ganache on the top and sides of the cake.

Dust your work surface with powdered sugar and knead the marzipan until soft and smooth.

Shape marzipan to a round disc.

Start rolling out the marzipan, starting at the center and rolling towards the edges.

Lift the marzipan and turn it 45 degrees after each roll, and you’ll see how it gradually grows into a large round.

Lift the marzipan using the rolling pin and drape over the top of the cake.

Smooth the marzipan using cake smoothers or your hands, pushing out any air bubbles and creases, starting at the top of the cake then working down the sides.

Trim off the excess.

Decorate with cut-out rounds of marzipan. I use fondant/rubber stamps to personalize the décor.

You can brush some edible glitter on the decorations to add some sparkle…

Tie a pretty ribbon around the cake if you like.

I just love this cake…

I hope you are inspired to try this, you won’t regret it!

Have a lovely weekend 🙂

Remember those who are alone during Christmas, make it their “most wonderful time of the year”, too.

Hugs from me to you.