You know when you have a great idea in your head, and you can picture it perfectly, in all its glory, and the crowd roaring in the background? As it turns out, the great idea I had for this cake was a train wreck in slow motion. A train wreck that lasted for three days and resulted in a cake that was far from what I initially imagined. The upside is that, despite myself, the cake still tasted beautiful.
Flavors of robust dark chocolate, rich vanilla, and buttery cream. Textures of tender cake, silky pastry cream, and a thick chocolate ganache with a non-chewy chew.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer
2 cups (397g) granulated sugar
12 tablespoons (170g) butter, room temperature
In a medium bowl
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Hanging out on the sidelines
3 1/4 cups (390g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (340g) whole milk, room temperature
Two batches of Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
One batch of Sliceable Chocolate Ganache
1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray or grease a 10-inch, oven-safe glass bowl.
2
In a large bowl or bowl of a standing mixer, beat the sugar and butter until super fluffy, light, and beautiful- about five minutes.
3
Little by little, add the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt to the butter and sugar and keep beating until light and fluffy. Stop a few times to scrape down the bowl's sides to ensure everything is incorporated evenly.
4
Alternating between the milk and flour, add a little of each to the mixture while continuously beating the batter until everything is mixed thoroughly.
5
Pour the cake batter into the prepared glass bowl. Bake for 35 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 325 degrees and bake for 30-40 minutes. The top will be golden brown and spring back when lightly touched. Remove and let cool in the bowl for about 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to continue cooling.
6
When the cake is completely cool, slice it into six horizontal layers. If six layers scare you, go for three- after all, this is your cake, you'll have it, and eat it too.
7
Starting with the largest layer, spread a thick layer of pastry cream and then top with the next largest cake layer. Keep going all the way to the top, and if you feel like things are getting a little precarious, feel free to throw the cake in the freezer for a little bit to firm up.
8
Once the cake is completely assembled, pour the chocolate ganache all over the top and let it naturally coat the entire cake. If some spots are a bit more stubborn, use your spatula to help guide the chocolate. Let the ganache set for about an hour before slicing in.
