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–+ servings
slice of chocolate cake.
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4.98 from 38 votes

Chocolate Ganache Cake

Dark chocolate ganache cake, La Bete Noir (The "Black Beast", recipe from Bon Appetit, 2006)
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 421kcal
Author: Cynthia

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup sugar (5.3 ounces)
  • 9 Tablespoons unsalted butter diced (4.5 ounces)
  • 18 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate chopped
  • 6 large eggs

Ganache

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter 9 inch diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round. Wrap 3 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim.
  • Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly.
  • Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
  • Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.
  • Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

Ganache

  • Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours.
  • Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges and serve with whipped cream. Serves 16

Notes

  • DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
  • Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 2mg