Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Christopher turns 23 on Monday and our nephew John-Paul turns 24 on Sunday. This calls for a cake and it has to be chocolate. I found a new cake recipe that I wanted to try but I was not happy with the 3 sticks of butter it called for. So I waved my magic wand and came up with this. The result was a fudgey cake with a moist, tender texture.

Cook's Notes-After I frosted the cake with the whipped ganache I decided not to add the 2nd layer of unwhipped ganache. I ran out of time that afternoon and couldn't get it done. Afterwards we thought that the cake was good just as it was. It didn't need the extra coat of chocolate.

1 cup butter(2 sticks) softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour, sifted
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 9 inch round cake pans with baking spray. In a large mixing bowl with a mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In a small bowl mix together the hot water and the cocoa powder. Add the buttermilk to the cocoa paste,mix well,and set aside. Add the eggs to the butter,sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and applesauce. In a separate bowl combine the flour and the baking soda. Add half of the flour to the large bowl and beat with the mixer. Add the cocoa/buttermilk mixture and the rest of the flour. Mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Divide the batter evenly among the 2 pans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack and continue to cool. Frost with chocolate ganache below.

Chocolate Ganache

3 cups heavy cream
2 pounds good quality semi-sweet chocolate bars, finely chopped
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan over medium/high heat, bring cream to a full boil. Add the chocolate and swirl the pan to completely cover it with cream. Slowly whisk the mixture until smooth. Add the corn syrup and salt. Stir until combined. Transfer half to a clean bowl of an electric mixer. Let it cool completely. Set aside the remaining. Using the mixer with a whisk attachment,whip the ganache on medium/high speed for 5-7 minutes or until it holds a soft peak.

To Assemble
Trim the tops of each cake layer to make them level. Spread some of the whipped ganache onto the top of the bottom layer. Lay the second layer on top and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the reserved ganache over the top of cake, letting it run down the sides. If necessary, use an off-set spatula to gently move the ganache over the top and sides. Refrigerate until set and ready to serve. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator.