My Birthday Chocolate Cake

It's been a month since my birthday and I've just realized that I'm so very behind on keeping up with my blog...it's about time to start writting (and baking) again! One of the main reasons of why I haven't posted new recipes these days is that I'm trying to eat healthier and keep my sweet tooth under control, not to mention that I have been a lazy ass, shame on me! ;-p. As some of you already know I'm a confessed chocaholic, so obviously my birthday cake had to be very chocolatey. I made a really good chocolate ganache from Rose Levy's cookbook The Cake Bible and the cake was an adapted version of the classic yogurt poundcake with an elegant touch of orange. The most fun and entertaining part was the decoration with the piping bag, I think it came out pretty good as I'm not very experienced with cake-decorating. Hope you like it and let me know your thoughts in the comments section!

xoxo G.

Descárgate aquí la receta en español!

Dark Chocolate Orange Cake

Ingredients
For the sponge cake:
(using a yogurt tub to measure)
6 large eggs.
2 chocolate yogur.
4 tubs sugar.
1 tub olive oil.
5 tubs flour.
1 tub cocoa powder.
32g baking powder.
Orange zest.
Sweet orange jam.

For the dark chocolate ganache:
340g dark chocolate.
385g heavy cream.

Directions

Start preparing the dark chocolate ganache. Break chocolate into pieces and process in food processor until very fine. Heat cream to the boiling point and, with the motor running, pour through the feed tube in a steady stream. Process a few seconds until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely. Allow to cool for several hours or until frosting consistency.

While the ganache is cooling off we can now go for the cake.

Preheat oven to 180ºC (356 F).

In a large bowl, place eggs and sugar and beat well until combined. Add in the chocolate yogurt and the orange zest, keep beating. Pour in olive oil, gradually, without stop beating.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until all the dry ingredients are very well combined. Add this dry mixture to the egg/sugar batter.

Grease and dust with flour 3 round cake pans (20cm diameter) and bake the batters  for around 40 minutes.

To assemble the cake first cut off the tops to have a perfectly level cake. Place one layer on a serving plate; gently spread top with orange jam. Top with another layer, spread top with orange jam again. Top with third layer and spread the jam in a very thin layer.

Cover the cake with the chocolate ganache and chill it in the fridge until serving. Also chill the remaining chocolate ganache (to be used for the decoration).

Cake should be served at room temperature so take it out at least 60 minutes prior to serving.

To decorate the cake let the ganache become a bit softer once you take it out the fridge, otherwise it'll get stuck inside the piping bag.