I dislike chocolate. Call me crazy, call me lucky, but I am a caramel or vanilla or lemon girl! However, I do live with a chocoholic, and my friends Joy and Roxanne cannot get through a day without the dark stuff. I like making this cake for occasions because it isimpressive looking, and I won’t be tempted to eat any!

Start by making the two ganache fillings, as they must sit at room temp for 12 hours
(make them the night before you want to make the cake).

White chocolate ganache filling:

In a sauce pan, heat 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream over medium-high heat until it just begins boiling. Remove from heat and pour over 8 oz. of chopped white chocolate in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Let sit for 12 hours at room temp. covered with plastic wrap.

Milk chocolate ganache filling:
Repeat process with 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream and 8 oz. chopped milk chocolate or chocolate chips.

Cake:

2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. plus 1 Tablespoon good quality cocoa
1/4 c. milk
2 1/4 c. sifted cake flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 t. vanilla
3 large eggs

Spray two rimmed cookie sheets with butter-flavored spray. Cut and place parchment paper with edges slightly longer on two sides. Spray again. Heat oven to 350.

1. Sift cocoa into medium bowl. Stir in 1/4 c. plus 2 T. boling water until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk. Set aside to cool.

2. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

3. In mixer bowl, cream butter on low until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, scraping down sides of bowl. Add vanilla.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With mixer on low, gradually add alternating amounts of flour mixture, and cocoa mixture, starting and ending with flour. Divide batter evenly into two prepared pans. Level with offset spatula.
Bake at 350 until cake springs back when felt. 16-20 min.

Dark Chocolate ganache glaze:

16 oz. chopped dark chocolate
2 c. heavy whipping cream

Place chocolate in a metal mixing bowl. Bring cream to just boiling, remove from heat and pour over chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Place about 3/4 c. of chocolate mixture
into smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour. Leave remaining ganache at room temp (uncovered).

Assembly:

Cut each cake (using ruler) into three even rectangles. (Mine were 4 3/4″ wide.)
Alternate white chocolate and milk chocolate ganache between layers.

Trim any uneven edges, and brush away any crumbs.
When dark chocolate ganache in fridge is consistency of buttercream, “seal” cake in chilled dark chocolate ganache. This step is optional, but will give finished cake a more professional, smooth, glossy look. Frost with chilled ganache on all sides.

Using a soup ladle, “pour” room temp. ganache around cake edges first, then top, using spatula for a smooth shiny coat. There will be enough for two coats. Let dry about 20 min. between coats.

After first coat:

After second coat:

If you’d like to “decorate” at this point, you can add seasonal accents, or leave it plain. I used a little green fondant to make holly leaves, sprinkling them with green edible glitter, and added fresh currents. CAREFULLY, (as it is heavy), using a cake lifter, or two large metal spatulas, move to serving plate or tray (rectangular), and refrigerate.

TA DA!