Southpaw Red Dark Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Dark Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsps Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 Large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tbsps Sweet cream buttermilk powder, or 1 cup buttermilk, warmed
- 1 cup Hot Water, OMIT if using buttermilk
- 1/2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 tsps Pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup Old York Cellars Southpaw Red Wine
- GANACHE INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup Heavy cream
- 3/4 cup Old York Cellars Southpaw Red wine
- 2 2/3 cups Dark chocolate finely chopped
CAKE INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare three 8-inch round cake pans by spraying them with baking spray, then lining them with parchment paper circles. Spray the parchment paper circles.
Soak your bake even strips (if using them) in cold water for 5 minutes. Press out the excess water (do not wring), and wrap them snugly around the cake pans.
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk powder and hot water. (Skip this step if you are using warmed buttermilk)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or use a hand mixer and a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, dark chocolate cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Add the eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Slowly add the Old York Cellars Southpaw Red Wine. Mix gently, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans, and tap out the pans on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with a few crumbs. This cake is fudgy, so be careful not to overbake the cakes. Since each oven heats differently, make sure to start checking your cakes at the 25 minute mark.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely. If you are not using bake even strips, level the cakes before stacking them.
GANACHE INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the heavy cream and Old York Cellars Southpaw Red Wine, stir together, and heat until steaming and bubbles begin to form.
Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate, and cover for two minutes.
Open the lid and whisk the mixture until it is completely smooth. Set aside for about 30 minutes to cool. You want the ganache to be thicker and easily spreadable, but not too thin.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:
Using cake lifters, place one layer on a cake stand or cake plate. Be careful because the layers may be delicate. Pour some of the ganache onto the center of the cake and use a small offset spatula to gently push the ganache off of the side so that it drizzles down the sides of the cake.
Stack another layer on top and frost with ganache. Repeat with the third layer. Frost the sides of the cake with the ganache.
Decorate your cake as desired.
Chill the cake to firm up the ganache before slicing.
Serve and enjoy with a Glass of Old York Cellars Wine!