For a fancifully tall cake, we used
3 (7-inch) round pans. It can also be baked in 3 (8-inch) pans, though
the cake will be slightly lower. We tested this recipe with several different brands of chocolate, and found Lindt and Ghirardelli had the best flavor for this particular cake. Ours is garnished with unsprayed, organically grown
rose petals, but be as creative as
you’d like with yours.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 6 hr

Makes 16 servings.

INGREDIENTS

  • for cake layers
  • 3/4cup boiling water
  • 1/2cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutch-process)
  • 1teaspoon instant-espresso powder
  • 1/2cup whole milk
  • 1teaspoon vanilla
  • 2cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4teaspoon salt
  • 2sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 4large eggsfor ganache filling and glaze
  • 2 1/2cups heavy cream
  • 20oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped in afood processor

    DIRECTIONS

    Make cake layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter3 (7- or 8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax or parchment paper. Butter paper and dust pans withflour, knocking out excess.

    Whisk together water, cocoa, and espresso powder until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.

    Sift together flour, baking soda,and salt.

    Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy, then add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing at low speed until just combined.

    Divide batter among pans (about2 1/3 cups per pan), smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes for 7-inch pans or 20 to 25 minutes for8-inch. Cool in pans on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.

    Make ganache while cakes bake: Bring cream to a simmer in a3- to 4-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in chocolateuntil smooth. Transfer ganache toa bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened but spreadable, about 4 hours. (If ganache becomes too thick, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)

    Assemble cake: Arrange 1 layer on a cake stand or plate and spread 2/3 cup ganacheevenly over it. Top with another cake layer and 2/3 cup ganache, spreading evenly, then third cake layer.(Chill ganache if necessary to keepat a spreadable consistency.) Chill cake until ganache filling is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remainingganache at a spreadable consistency, chilling when necessary.

    Spread a thin layer of ganacheover top and sides of cake to seal in crumbs, then chill 30 minutes.Spread remaining ganache evenly over top and sides of cake.

    Cooks’ notes:
    • Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead, cooled completely, then chilled, wrapped well in plastic wrap.

    •Ganache may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 hours to soften to a spreadable consistency.


    •This cake can also be made in 2 (8-inch, 2-inch-deep) round cake pans. Split layers horizontally, then use 1/2 cup ganache between layers.

    •Assembled cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.
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