Chocolate Fudge Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting and Chocolate Ganache

chocolate fudge cake

Happy 2014!

My first foodie post of 2014 is this chocolate and peanut butter cake for a friend’s birthday. This is the cake that I should’ve made many times ago, because my family has a few peanut butter lovers. My husband is one of them. Once he saw this cake, he started to complain why I had never made one for him.

I’m fine with peanut butter. But I have to say I love this peanut butter buttercream more than peanut butter. It’s light, fluffy and delicious. The perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness makes this buttercream so addictive. And the melt-in-your-mouth texture is simply… OH.MY.GOD.

chocolate fudge cake

2014 has gotten me to focus more on cake decoration and food styling. I don’t do fondant because I personally don’t like the grainy texture and the yucky flavour. Despite the fact that you can basically create any decorations by using fondant, I will still stand on my principle – No Fondant. It’s going to be a challenge, but I know it will be incredibly satisfying to create something not only pretty but tasty.    

Ingredients (8-inch 3-layer cake):
Chocolate Fudge Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup hot brewed coffee
Peanut Butter Buttercream
1 1/2 cups smooth and creamy peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Ganache
200 grams dark chocolate, cut into small chunks
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn syrup

Directions:
To prepare the cake, preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Crack in the eggs, spoon in the sour cream, and pour in the oil and the vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Pour in the hot coffee, slowly mix until smooth and liquidy.
Pour batter in the prepared pans, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Then invert it and let cool completely.
To prepare buttercream, beat peanut butter and butter for a few minutes in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and turn the mixer on low, beat until the sugar incorporates with the butter. Add vanilla and heavy cream, beat on medium speed for another 3 minutes, or until buttercream becomes light and fluffy.
To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Place another cake layer on top, and gently press down a little bit. Spread with another 1/3 cup frosting. Place the last layer of cake on top, smear frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Transfer the remaining buttercream to a piping bag with a large round tip. Set aside.
Cover and refrigerate the cake when you prepare the ganache.
To prepare ganache, place the chocolate, heavy cream and corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Stir the mixture using a wooden spoon until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Remove cakes from the refrigerator. Pour ganache over the top of the cakes. Use an offset spatula to gently push the ganache over the sides of the cake to create the dripping effect.
Refrigerate the cake for 5 minutes to set the ganache before piping the big dollops of buttercream on top as garnish.

21 comments

  1. Made this cake today and it was lovely. Only comment is that I felt I had way to much ganache. Needed probably less than half. And i should have poured it immediately while it was still hot- mine turned out quite globby. Though I just poured hot cream over chopped chocolate and let it melt. Lots of good feedback though!

  2. I make a ton of cakes and this is by far, hands down the best cake I’ve ever had. MY GOODNESS it is perfection. Thank you for this!!

  3. I made this today. The peanut butter buttercream was a disaster. I’m not a novice baker, but apparently I am a novice with peanut butter. It de-emulsified and separated. Heating/cooling/mixing and all those good things you do with buttercream didn’t work. The peanut butter has too much fat in it. AH! In the end I added water and more icing sugar to it, and it mixed into a smooth slurry, but certainly not a buttercream.

    I used Planters Smooth Peanut Butter so just be aware and don’t use that one.

    1. Hi Christa, I used a large plain round tip. The diameter of the opening is about half an inch. But you can use even a bigger tip. Big dollops will look cute too! :)

  4. Frosting taste good but I’m just curious about the color. Also coffee really made the chocolate stand out. Batter was delicious. No reminents of coffee taste

    1. Hi Cake Lover, I believe the key is to whip your butter/margarine long enough so it loses it’s original color, and when it mixes with powered sugar, it will become very pale. :)

  5. I used the recipe with exception of butter. Substituted margarine. My ? Is why is my frosting still the color of peanut butter and not similar in color of urs?

  6. Such a beautiful cake. Gorgeous photo. Sounds scrumptious to eat. I agree about fondant–tastes bad, made from awful ingredients, and I don’t like the way it looks so fake.

    I am with you on your cake philosophy–let us make it look beautiful and taste delicious. Why bother with anything less?

    Thank you for the recipe–I can’t wait to try it.

    Cheers,
    Rocquie

  7. Oh it is so delicious looking!!! Fanny again your FABULOUS ability to capture your “subject” for the most appealing photograph. I am not so secretly jealous :) This is definitely a gotta make it cake. xo :)

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