Chocolate Ganache Cake

1. Stage

This chocolate mousse cake starts with butter and sugar. Cream them together in the bowl of a stand mixer for five to seven minutes until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg and vanilla extract. While those ingredients are whizzing away in the mixer, stir the sour cream and buttermilk together in a small dish. These ingredients help make an extra tender cake. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Then alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk-sour cream to your mixing bowl. Be sure to beat well after each addition.

2. Stage

Next, grease and line two 8-inch cake round cake pans. Divide the batter evenly between both pans. Then bake at 350ºF for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes away with a few crumbs. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Then turn the cakes out onto wire racks to cool completely.

3. Stage

As the cakes are baking and cooling, you can start making the star of the show: the chocolate mousse! Start the mousse by melting the chocolate and cream together on low heat. Don't rush this process or be tempted to crank up the heat. Low and slow is the best way to melt chocolate over the stove. Once fully melted, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill until slightly thickened. Pop into the fridge on occasion to give it a stir. This will help you keep an eye on the chocolate as it thickens. Once cooled and thickened, beat the chocolate on medium speed until it gets light and fluffy. Return the mousse to the fridge until it achieves spreading consistency.

4. Stage

Besides being full of lush chocolate mousse, this cake is topped with decadent ganache. To make the ganache icing, start by heating chocolate and butter together in a saucepan until melted. Again, do this on low heat and take your time. Once melted, slowly add the cream and heat until warmed. Transfer the ganache to a bowl and chill until it's spreadable like frosting.

5. Stage

To transform the two cake layers into four, grab a serrated bread knife. Very carefully slice the layers in half with a gentle sawing motion, much like you'd tort a cake. Place the first layer of cake onto a cake stand or cake plate. Then evenly spread a third of the chocolate mousse over the top. Repeat with the remaining layers of cake and mousse. All that's left is to frost the outside of the cake with the creamy chocolate ganache. The spreadable ganache works similarly to buttercream frosting. Use an offset spatula and take your time making a smooth and appealing finish. Editor's Tip: If your mousse or ganache has firmed up too much in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Don't microwave! Let time and room temperature do their work.